Hemidesmus indicus

Botanical name : Hemidesmus indicus (Linn.) R.Br.
Family : Asclepiadaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Sariba, Anantamoola

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta, Kashaya, Madhura,
Guna : Lakhu, Snigda
Virya : Ushna

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Indian sarasaparilla, Country sarasaparilla
Hindi : Ananthamul, Magrabu
Malayalam : Naruneendi, Nannari

PLANT DESCRIPTION
A perennial, slender, laticiferous twinning or prostrate shrub with woody stock and numerous slender stems. Leaves are simple, opposite, linear lanceolate. Flower greenish purple, sub sessile cymes in the opposite leaf axils. Fruits are slender follicles, cylindrical, 10 cm long tapering to a point at the apex, seeds are flattened, black, ovate-oblong with silvery white coma.
The tuberous root is dark brown, with transversely cracked and longitudinally fissured bark. It has a strong central vasculature and pleasant smell and taste.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, vata, skin diseases, burning sensation, leukoderma, pruritus, bronchitis, asthma, hyperdipsia, diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhoids, leucorrhoea, arthritis, fever and general debility.
Useful part : Root.