BOERHAVIA DIFFUSA

Common name: Red hogweed, Tar Vine, Red Spiderling, Wineflower • Hindi: Punarnava, Satha • Kannada: Adakaputtana gida

Botanical name: Boerhavia diffusa     

Family: Nyctaginaceae (Bougainvillea family)

Synonyms: Boerhavia repens, Boerhavia coccinea

Geographical distribution

Introduction: The plant occurs throughout India as a weed. It is found frequently in wastelands

as a spreading herb with a stout root-stock. Red Spiderling is a prostrate herb with very diffuse inflorescences. It is a weed found throughout India. Inflorescences occur at the end of branches, are forked about 3-6 times, occasionally with sticky internodal bands. Branches are divergent, terminating in compact subumbellate or capitate, 2-5-flowered clusters. Flowers have stalk shorter than 0.5 mm. Bract at base of the flower tube quickly deciduous, lancelike, 0.8-1 mm. Flowers are purplish red to reddish pink or nearly white, bell-shaped beyond the constriction, 1-1.5 mm. Stamens 2-3, are inside the flower or barely protruding out. Tender young leaves and shoots are cooked and used as a vegetable.

Medicinal uses: Warning: Unverified information Popular in Ayurveda, this herb is known for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. The roots of Boerhavia diffusa, commonly known as 'Punarnava', are used by a large number of tribes in India for the treatment of various hepatic disorders and for internal inflammation. Anodectal data has also reported effectiveness of Boerhavia diffusa incases of oedema and ascites resulting from early cirrhosis of the liver and chronic peritonitis.

Chemical composition

It contains punarnavine, purine-nucleoside and punarnavo-side.

Therapeutic uses

The root is anthelmintic, stomachic, diaphoretic and laxative. As a diuretic the

root is particularly useful in disease of heart, kidneys, in gonorrhoea and dropsy. It is

also given in oedema, anaemia, intestinal colic, cough and pleurisy.

Folk medicinal uses

An infusion of the herb is given to children as a mild laxative and febrifuge; in

mild cases of dropsy the boiled fresh herb is given. A liquid extract of the fresh or dry

plant, in doses of one to four gm. is an effective diuretic in oedema and dropsy. The leaf

juice is given in jaundice and other liver complaints. A garland of small twigs cut from

the rootstock is usually worn by local people to cure jaundice.

Preparations

Punarnava-Mandoor, Punarnava-kshar-kwath, Punarnavastak, Punarnavasab,

Punarnavambu, Rasnasaptak-kwath.

Flowers and Fruits: Major parts of the year