Mussaenda frondosa

Botanical name : Mussaenda frondosa Linn.
Family : Rubiaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Sreeparna, Rajatari, Sreepatri, Sreemati

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Kashaya, Tikta
Guna : Teekshna
Virya : Seeta
Vipaka : Katu

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Wild mussenda
Hindi : Bedina
Malayalam : Vellila, Vellilam, Vellilathali

Distribution – Throughout Western Ghats; also cultivated in gardens.

PLANT DESCRIPTION
An erect much branched shrub grows up to 5 meters in height. Bark grey; leaves simple, opposite, ovate, acuminate at apex, white tomentose beneath; flowers yellowish green outside and orange inside, found in terminal cymes. One of the calyx lobes become enlarged to white leaf like structure. Fruits globose or ovoid green berries.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, pitta, inflammation, cough, bronchitis, fever, wounds, ulcers, leucoderma, prutitus, jaundice, dandruff and urinary system diseases. Leaves crushed in water used as herbal shampoo.
Useful part : Whole plant.