Botanical Name: Onosma bracteatum Wall.
Family: Boraginaceae
Introduction:
Latin name: Onosma = onos = ass, Rutton root it was said to be pleating to animals): bracteatum = bracted = small leaf or scale below calyx.
Names in different Indian languages
| English | Borage |
|---|---|
| Hindi | Gojihvaa |
| Kannada | |
| Malayalam | |
| Sanskrit | Gojihvaa |
| Tamil | |
| Telugu | |
| Unani | Gaozabaan (variety ) |
| Folk |
Synonyms
Gojihvaa, Kharpatraa, Darvipatraa, Vrishjihvaa.
Classification according to Charaka, Susrutha & Vagbhata
| Charaka | |
|---|---|
| Susrutha | |
| Vagbhata |
Varieties & adulterants – (CV – controversy, AD – adulterants)
Anchusa strigosa Labill – Gojihvaa
Macrotomia benthamii.
Coccinia glauca
Borago officinalis Linn.
Morphology
A small herb spreading on the ground.
Leaves – big, fleshy, rough like cow’s- tongue arid have small, round spots on them, flowers- blue, appear in clusters and become red on drying.
Leaves and flowers, when soaked in water, form a sticky substance
Distribution & Habitat
Himalaya
Chemical constituents:
Properties:
Guna: laghu, snigdha,
Rasa madhur, tikta;
Vipaka: madhur;
Virya: sheeta.
Karma –
Cooling, astringent, diuretic, cardiac tonic
Srotogamitva:
Dosha: Vata pitta kapha nissaraka.
Dhatu: Majja (tonic). rakta jaundice. chancre). all dhatus (rejuvenator by digestion of ama).
Mala: Purisha (mild laxative). mutra (diuretic)
Indication:
insomnia, cough, depression, mental exhaustion; constipation, misperistalsis, jaundice, dysuria, urethral discharges, fevers
Part used:
Whole plant
Dosage:
Leaf juice 10-15 ml
Powder 2-4 g
Decoction 50-100 ml
Uses: Its local application has cooling and wound-healing properties. Bhasma of leaves is applied over stomatitis and wounds. Being beneficial to majja dhatu, it is useful in hysteria and mental debility. Being carminative and mild laxative, it is used in jaundice. udavarta and constipation. It is also used in cardiac impairment, rheumatoid arthritis and chancres. Its expectorant activity is seen in cold. cough, asthma. pleuritis and throat irritation It is used along with Glycerrhiza glabra and Viola odorata. Being a diuretic, it is useful in dysuria and pyuria. It reduces the pyrexial complicatiots and weakness.