CISSAMPELOS PAREIRA

Common name: Velvet Leaf, False Pareira Brava, Abuta, Pereira Root, Barbasco

Botanical name: Cissampelos pareira   

Family: Menispermaceae (Moonseed family)

Synonyms: Abuta grandifoliaBot.

Geographical distribution

It occurs throughout India in tropical and subtropical regions climbing over shrubs and way side

vegetation.

Introduction: Velvet Leaf is a small climber with velvety branches. Leaf stalk is inserted to 2 mm from margin - it is up to 7.4 cm long. Leaf blade is 6-12 cm long, 7-14 cm broad, membranous to nearly leathery, ovate to nearly round. Flowers are borne in 5 cm long cymes in leaf axils. Male flowers are interesting - there are 4 roundish sepals, larger than the petals. The four petals are fused into a disc. Stamens arise in a central column. Female flowers have 1 sepal and 1 petal. Fruit is round, red. Velvet Leaf is native to South America, naturalized in parts of India.
Medicinal uses: Velvet Leaf is known as Midwife's herb as mainly used in women aliments. It is used for menstrual problems, hormonal imbalance, ease childbirth, postpartum pain, prevent threatened miscarriage, and control uterine hemorrhages, hormonal acne and premenstrual syndrome. It is used for heart problems, kidney stones, kidney infections and pains, asthma, arthritis, muscle cramps and stomach pains.

Chemical composition

The root contains isoquinoline, pelosine, berberine saponin, respine,

cissampeline, hyatin, hyatinin, a quercitel and a sterol.

Therapeutic uses

The dried roots are mild tonic, diuretic, stomachic, antilithic, alterative and astringent; they are given with aromatics in later stages of bowel complaints, dyspepsia, diarrhoea, dropsy, catarrhal disorders, prolapse of the uterus, internal inflammations and urinary and bladder diseases.

Folk medicinal uses

A paste of the roots and leaves is locally applied in skin diseases. 6 gm. roots of padh is ground and mixed with the powder of 10-15 black pepper and given in malaria for thrice a day as full dose for 5 days. Root is pierced in thread and loosely tied in neck of the patient in a way that it should touch the body and this is applied in common fever. For the treatment of cough and cold, a decoction of root is prepared in water and given with honey in the dose of 10 ml. 3-4 times a day for three days.

Preparations

Gangadhar-churna, kutajastak-kwath, pippalayasav, yograj-guggulu and

ambashtadi churna.

Flowers and Fruits : September-October