Cissampelos pereira

Botanical name : Cissampelos pereira Linn. (C.accuminata Benth)
Family : Menispermaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Lakhupadha, Peeluphala, Ambashtaki, Brihat tikta

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta
Guna : Lakhu, Teekshna
Virya : Ushna
Vipaka : Katu

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Velvet leaf
Hindi : Padha
Malayalam : Malatangi, Kattupadakkizhangu

Distribution – Grows in evergreen forests of India, especially in Western ghats

PLANT DESCRIPTION
A glabrous woody twinner, with dense foliations. Leaves single, alternate, chordate at base oblong, acute, upper side velvety and lower side rough. Flowers yellowish, unisexual found in axillary panicles. Fruits drupe, bright red when ripe, enclosing dark curved seeds.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, pitta, general debility, skin disease, fever, diarrhea, colic, and stimulate the breast milk production. Plant has aphrodisiac property. It is a widely used medicine for delivery aftercare.
Useful part : Whole plant.