Name – सर्पाक्षी
Botanical name – Ophiorrhiza mungos
Description – Decumbent herbs. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate, attenuate at base. Flowers white, in subumbellate cymes. Fruits compressed; seeds pale brown.
Chemical Constituents- Roots contain, resin and alkaloid. Leaves and stem contain hydrocyanic acid. Leaves contain camptothecin and 10-methoxycamptothecin.
Use – Roots tonic, claimed to be useful in cancer treatment. Decoction of roots, leaves and bark given as a stomachic. Leaves used for dressing ulcers