Botanical -Aristolochiaeace

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• English : Worm killer, Bracteated birthwort
• Hindi : Kiramar, Kitamar
• Kannada : Sanajalihllu
• Malayalam : Attukottappala, Atutinnappala
• Sanskrit : Kitamari
• Tamil : Atutinnappalai
• Telugu : Gadidagadapaku

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Throughout India

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A perennial prostrate herb with weak, glabrous stems; leaves simple, alternate, reniform or broadly ovate, cordate at the base with a wide sinus upto 7.5 cm in diameter, finely reticulately veined; flowers solitary with a large sessile orbicular bract at the base, perianth tub)e cylindric with dark purple lip having revolute margins; fruits oblong-ellipsoid 12-ribbed glabrous capsules; seeds deltoid with slightly, cordate base

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The leaves and fruits contain ceryl alcohol, p-sitosterol and aristolochic acid. The fatty-acid composition of the seeds is myristic, palmitic, stearic, lignoceric and oleic. Aristolochic acid, aristored, nitrogen containing compound, and magnoflorine have also been reported from the seeds.

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The roots and leaves are bitter, acrid, thermogenic, anthelmintic, cathartic, anti-inflammatory, emmenagogue, vulnerary, appetiser, sudorific and antiperiodic, and are useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and vata, intestinal worms (especially round worms), constipation, inflammations, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, foul ulcers, boils, syphilis, gonorrhoea, dyspepsia colic, skin diseases, eczema, arthralgia and intermittent fevers.

According to ayurveda it contains

• Gunna (properties) - laghu (light) and ruksh (dry) and tikshan (sharp)
• Rasa (taste) – tickta (bitter)
• Virya (potency) – ushan (hot)

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No toxic effect was seen on human body with its consumption

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Part Used: Roots, leaves

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1. Worms
2. Wounds
3. Constipation
4. Inflammation
5. Uterus stimulant
6. Fever
7. Poisoning

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The plant is a purgative anthelmintic; useful in “vata”, “kapha, fevers, painful joints; applied to sores to kill maggots (Ayurveda).

Every part of this plant is nauseously biter, whtich remains long, chiefly about the throuat. For a purging with gripes, two of the fresh leaves are rubbed up in a little water, and given to an adult for a dose, once in 24 hours.

It is well known by its Hindustani name Kira-mar, from its supposed anthemintic properties, and also probably from the facts to the expressed juice of the leaves being applied to foul and neglected ulcera, for the purposed of destroying the larges of insects.

A belief in the anthelmintic virtues of the leaves is common every where and in Bombay, the plant is spoken of as having a merited reputation as an antiperiodic in intermittent fevers. Emmenagoge properties are also assigned to it. The leave are applied to the navel to move the bowels of children, and are also given internally in combination with caitor oil as a remedy for colic. The Tamils apply the leaf, bruised and mixed with castor oil, to obstinate psora. How states that the root and leaf are remarkably bitter, and yield a thick yellowish juice, which is mixed with boiled milk and given m syphilis, and combined with opium is used with great success in fonorrhoea. In Sind, the dried root, in doses of about a drachm and a half, in the form of powder or in infusion is administered during labors to increases uterine contractions. This plant is used by Hindu Physicians on account of its bitter purgative and anthelminte properties. Bruised leaf mixed with castor oil is applied externally in obstinate cases of eczema of the legs of children. A decoction of the root 1 in 10 in doses of 1 to 2 ounces wads given three ties a day to suspected cases of round worm followed by castor oil and was found to be generally efficacious in expelling roundworms (Koman).

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