Aerva lanata - badra - pashana beda


Aerva lanta - badra - pashana beda

Aerva lanata is a woody, prostrate or succulent, perennial herb in the Amaranthaceae family of the genus Aerva that sometimes flowers in the first year.[4][5] Aerva lanata belonging to Amaranthaceae family is a common weed which grows wild everywhere in plains of India. The root has a camphor like aroma. The dried flowers which look like soft spikes, are sold under the commercial name as Buikallan or Boor. Decoction of the flowers is said to cure stones in any part of the stomach and that of the root is diuretic and cure for kidney stones.

Common names

  • Bengali: Chaya.
  • Duk.: Kul -ke -jar, Khul.
  • Hindi:Gorakhbuti or Kapuri jadi.
  • Kannada: Bilesuli.
  • Malayalam: Cherula.
  • Marathi: Kapuri-madhura.
  • Punjabi: Bui-kaltan (flowers as sold in bazaars).
  • Rajasthani: Bhui.
  • Sanskrit: Astmabayda[6]
  • Sindhi: Bhui, Jari.
  • Sinhalese-Pol pala.
  • Tamil: Sirru -pulay -vayr.
  • Telugu: Pinde-conda, Pindi-chetter.
  • Trans-Indus: Asmei, Spirke, Sasai.
  • Swahili: Kinongo
  • Akan-Asante bameha
  • Abure n-tanfa
  • Akye: munongbe
  • Baule akopinolé
  • Guere (Chiehn) ura ore, wore oré (K&B) wulo wulé (B&D)

Distribution

A. lanata prefers damper sites than A. javanica and can be found in open forests on mountain slopes, on waste and disturbed ground, deserted cultivation and coastal scrub[4] and at altitudes from sea level to 900 metres (3,000 ft).

Native

Afrotropic:

Northeast Tropical Africa: Ethiopia, Somalia

East Tropical Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

West-Central Tropical Africa: Cameroon, Rwanda, Zaire

West Tropical Africa: Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo

South Tropical Africa: Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe

Southern Africa: South Africa - Natal, Transvaal

Western Indian Ocean: Madagascar

Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia

Indomalaya:

Indian Subcontinent: India, Sri Lanka

Malesia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines

Uses

The plant is said to be diuretic and demulcent. Its diuretic action is said to be very effective in the treatment of urethral discharges and gonorrhoea and is of value in cases of lithiasis and as an anthelmintic. A trace of alkaloid has been detected.

Food

The whole plant, especially the leaves, is edible. The leaves are put into soup or eaten as a spinach or as a vegetable. The plant provides grazing for stock, game in and chickens.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Aerva_lanata_in_Bhongir_AP_W_I2_IMG_3064.jpg/250px-Aerva_lanata_in_Bhongir_AP_W_I2_IMG_3064.jpg

in Bhuvanagiri, AndhraPradesh.

Medicinal

Leaves

A leaf-decoction is prepared as a gargle for treating sore-throat and used in various complex treatments against guinea-worm. to wash Babies that have become unconscious during an attack of malaria or of some other disease are washed with a leaf decoction at the same time smoke from the burning plant is inhaled. The leaf-sap is also used for eye-complaints. An infusion is given to cure diarrhoea and in an unspecified manner at childbirth, and on sores.

Root

The root is used in snake-bite treatment.

Flowers

For pains in the lower part of the back leaves and flowers are reduced to ash which is rubbed into cuts on the back.

Spiritual

It gives protection against evil spirits, is a good-luck talisman for hunters, and safeguards the well-being of widows.[

Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerva_lanata

Medicinal plants of India ; Ayurveda

Encyclopedia of Indian Medicinal Plants/Herbs mainly using in Ayurveda with good quality pictures and information like therapeutic usage of Medicinal Plants, cultivation, morphology, habitat, flower characters, Chemical content, parts used, research works etc.

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