Medicinal Plants No 34

Ammania baccifera Linn. ssp. baccifera Lythraceae : (धातकी-कुलम्)

Eng : Blistering ammania Hin : Dädamårī, Kuranță (ETGTHRT, FRUCT) Mal : Nirummělneruppu, Kalluruvi Mojc2008 omog, Drejoon) San : Kurandikå (gefüSat) Tam : Kalluruvi, Nīſummēl neruppu (soj 61, Bri Colori OGGUL Tel : Agnivendrapāku (eng.Jolet 50)

Distribution: Throughout India,in marshy localities The plant: An erect glabrous reddish herb upto 60 cm in height, branches

usually opposite; leaves lower opposite, upper sometimes alternate, oblong or narrow-elliptic, rounded or subcordate, usually obtuse or subacute; flowers reddish in dense axillary clusters, apetalous or with minute petals; fruits depressed globose capsules covered by

calyx tube upto the middle. Parts used: whole plant Properties and uses: The plant is bitter, acrid, cooling, appetiser,

rubifacient, laxative, stomachic, diuretic, aphrodisiac and lithontriptic. It is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and pitta, burning sensation, anorexia, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, strangury, seminal weakness, renal and vesical calculi, rheumatism, intermitter fevers and herpetic eruptions.

कुरण्डिका क्षेत्रभूषा कुरण्टी क्षेत्रनाशिनी। (शा.नि.) ["Kurandikā kņētrabhūşā kuranți kşētranāśini" (Sā.ni.)

कुरण्डिका सरा रुच्या गुर्वी चाग्निप्रदीपनी । नाशनी कफवाताना वैद्यैस्तु परिकीर्तिता ।।

il बृहत्कुरण्डिका शीता पाके माध्वी कटुः स्मृता । तिक्ता क्षारा च रूक्षा च सरा वृष्या जटा मता ।। वातळा पित्तळा वस्तौवातकारी कफापहा । रक्तदोष मूत्रकृच्छं नाशयेदिति कीर्तिता || (नि.र.)["Kurandikā sarā rucyā gurvi cāgnipradipani Nāśani kaphavātānām vaidyaistu parikirttitā Brhatkurandikā sitā pākē mādhvi kațuḥ smrtā Tiktā kşārā ca rūksā ca sarā vrsyā jațā matā Vātaļā pittalā vastauvātakāri kaphāpahā Raktadāsain mütrakrochram nāśayēditi kirttitā" (Ni.ra.)]

Remarks: The brhatkurandikā mentioned above is Ammania multiflora Roxb.