Argyreia speciosa
Family: Convolvulaceae Vernacular names — Sanskrit, Vridha daraka Hindi, Samudra Shokha English, Elephant creeper Bengali, Bijarka Nepalese, Samudra phool Sinhalese, Vriddadaru Unani, Samudar sokh Tamil, Kadarpalai. Habitat — Throughout India except in dry, western regions up to 1000 ft elevation, often cultivated. Parts used — Root and seeds. Morphological characteristics — Leaves ovate or cordate, up to 12 in. long, glabrous above, white tomentose beneath, long stalked. Flowers in cymes; bracts large, thin, veined, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, calyx white, tomentose outside; corolla funnel shaped, silky pubescent outside, tube somewhat inflated, rose-purple, about 2 in. long. Root cylindrical, 1 to cm thick; brown, smooth, round wood is scant, flexible, and smooth, latex oozes at cuts. Seeds are enclosed in a stone, pale yellow-brown globose apiculate, indehiscent berry to 2 cm in diameter containing four erect, curved embryos with corrugated cotyledons or two seeds embedded in a meaty pulp. Ayurvedic description — Rasa — katu, tikta, kasaya; Guna — laghu, snigdha; Veerya — ushna; Vipak — madhur. Action and uses—Kapha vatsamak, branpachan,daran, sodhan, ropan, naribalya, dipan, pachan, ampachan, anulomon, rachan, hiridya sothahar, surkrjanan, pramehangan, balya, rasayan. Chemical constituents — The plant contains tannin and amber-colored resin, soluble in ether, benzole; partly soluble in alkalis; and fatty The seeds have shown the presence of alkaloids, viz., chanoclavine, ergine, ergonovine, and isoergine by various Pharmacological action — Alterative, aphrodisiac, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, tonic, and emollient. Medicinal properties and uses — Powder of the root is given with "ghee" as an alterative; in elephantiasis the powder is given with rice water. In inflammation of the joints it is given with milk and a little castor oil. A paste of the roots made with rice water is applied
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Keywords: argyreia, ayurveda, creeper, daraka, elephant, india, medicinal, phool, plant, samudra, shokha, speciosa, vridha
