Basella rubra

Botanical name : Basella rubra Linn.
Family : Basellaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Kalambi, Mohini, Pothee, Upodika

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Kashaya, Katu, Madhura
Guna : Snigda, Picchila
Virya : Seeta

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Indian spinach
Hindi : Poi, Safed bachla
Malayalam : Vasalacheera

PLANT DESCRIPTION
A perennial twining herb with fleshy stem and leaves, reddish green in colour. Leaves simple, alternate, lamina narrowed into petiole. Flowers-white or red, bracteoles longer than perianth; fruits red, white or black, globose.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, pitta, burning sensation, hemorrhages, skin diseases, sexual weakness and ulcer and as a laxative in children and pregnant women.
Useful part : Stems, leaves