ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA

Common name: Kariyat, Creat • Hindi: Kirayat, Kalpanath • Manipuri: ৱুবতী Vubati • Marathi: Oli-kiryata, Kalpa • Tamil: நீலவெம்பு Nilavembu • Malayalam: Nelavepu, Kiriyattu • Telugu: Nilavembu • Kannada: Nelaberu • Bengali: কলমেঘ Kalmegh • Oriya: Bhuinimba • Konkani: Vhadlem Kiratyem • Urdu: Naine-havandi • Assamese: কলমেঘ Kalmegh • Gujarati: Kariyatu • Sanskrit: Kalmegha, Bhunimba • Mizo: Hnakhapui

Botanical name: Andrographis paniculata    Family: Acanthaceae (Acanthus family)

Synonyms: Justicia paniculata

Introduction: Kariyat is an erect annual herb extremely bitter in taste in all parts of the plant. It grows erect to a height of 1-4 ft in moist shady places with smooth leaves and white flowers with rose-purple spots on the petals. Stem dark green, 0.3 - 1.0 m in height, 2-6 mm in diameter, quadrangular with longitudinal furrows and wings on the angles of the younger parts, slightly enlarged at the nodes; leaves glabrous, up to 8.0 cm long and 2.5 cm broad, lanceolate, pinnate; flowers small, in lax spreading axillary and terminal racemes or panicles; capsules linear-oblong, acute at both ends, 1.9 cm x 0.3 cm; seeds numerous, sub quadrate, yellowish brown.

Medicinal uses: Unverified information Since ancient times, Kariyat is used as a wonder drug in traditional Siddha and Ayurvedic systems of medicine as well as in tribal medicine in India and some other countries for multiple clinical applications. The therapeutic value of Kalmegh is due to its mechanism of action which is perhaps by enzyme induction. The plant extract exhibits antityphoid and antifungal activities.

I have experience as a reviewer in various national and international journals.

Chemical composition

Whole plant contains kalmeghin and andrographolid. Plant ash contains sodium chloride and potassium salt. It also contains a bicyclic diterpenoid lactone.

Folk medicinal uses

The leaf juice is a household remedy for flatulence, loss of appetite, bowel complaints of children, diarrhoea, dysentery, dyspepsia and general debility; it is preferably given with the addition of aromatics. The oil obtained from the leaves is applied locally in rheumatism and rheumatic arthritis. Plant powder when taken along with black pepper in equal quantity, cures malaria and also given as cure for typhoid Whole plant extract is given as a cure to babies suffering from stomach complaint is well known as Alui.

Preparations

Vishma-Jwar-Har-Kshar, Sudarshan Churna. Preparation sold in the market is extract of Kalmegh.

Flowers and Fruits: October-December