गण्डीरी – Rubia cordifolia

 

 

Name – मञ्जिष्ठा

Botanical name – Rubia cordifolia

Description – Scabrid climbers with quadrangular branches. Leaves whorled, ovate, cordate at base Flowers greenish-white, in terminal and axillary dichasial cymes. Berry globose, fleshy, dark purplish when ripe

Chemical Constituents- Plant contains alizarin and its glucoside, asperulosidic acid, 10-deacetyl- asperulosidic acid: Roots contain quinones – auzarin, purpurin, purpurin carboxylate, quinizarine, christofin, anthraquinone glycoside, iridoid glycoside 6-methoxy geniposidic acid, colouring matter purpurin, manjishtin, purpuroxanthin

Use – Source of Indian Maddar. Roots tonic, anti-dysenteric, antiseptic and deobstruent. Leaf decoction and stem used as a vermifuge