Medicinal Plants No 39

Anamirta cocculus (Linn.) Wight & Arn. (A.paniculata Colebr.) Menispermaceae (गुडूची-कुलम्)

Eng : Levant berries, Fish berries, Crow killer Hin : Kākamāri (106977) Kan : Kākamāri, Kayamari (DoFado, Davaoo) Mal : Polla, Kollakkāya, Pēffumarunnų

(പൊളള, കൊല്ലക്കായ, പേറ്റുമരുന്ന San : Garalaphala, Käkamári (TR00951, 1947) Tam: Käkamári (&T slotif) Tel

: Gara!aphala, Käkinicampacețțu (x0$že, sošoSoBBew

Distribution: Throughout Irīdia in forests The plant: A large,woody, climbing shrub with vertically furrowed ash

coloured bark and glabrous young parts; leaves large, simple, alternate, long-petioled, petioles thickened at the base and apex, broadly ovate, subcoriaceous, cordate or truncate at the base, acute or acuminate, 5-nerved with tufts of hairs in the axils of the nerves except the basal ones; flowers greenish in long panicles, drooping from the nodes of the old wood; fruits drupes, kidney shaped,

turning red on ripening. Parts used: leaves, fruits Properties and uses: The fruits are bitter, astringent, thermogenic,

expectorant, antifungal, anthelmintic and depurative. They are useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and vāta, bronchitis, dermatophytosis, foul ulcers, inflammations, flatulence, chronic skin diseases and ringworm. The tender leaves are used by the tribals for the contraction of the uterus immediately after delivery.

'गरळा काकमारी च काकाह्वा काकनाशिका । काकनाशी विषफला मत्स्यघ्नी मत्स्यनाशिका ॥ (स्व.) ["Garaļā kākamāri ca kākāhvā kākanāśikā Kākanasi visaphalā matsyaghni matsyanāśikā" (Sva.)]

काकमारीफलं तीक्ष्णं कषायोष्णं कटु स्मृतम् । रक्तशुद्धिकरं तिक्तं कृमिजन्तुविनाशकम् ॥ शोफव्रणश्वासकासकण्डूत्वादोषनाशनम् ।कफवातहरं प्रोक्तं दुष्टव्रणहरं परम् ॥ (स्व.) ["Kākamäriphalam tiksnam kaşāyösnam kațu smrtam Raktaśuddhikaram tiktam krmijantuvināśakam Sõphavsaņaśvāsakāsakandutvagdosanāśanam Kaphavātaharam pröktam dustavsanaharam param" (Sva.)]