Nirgundi

BOTANICAL NAME: Vitex negundo

FAMILY: Verbenaceae

CLASSICAL CLASSIFICATION:

Charaka: Vishaghna, Krimighna

Sushruta: Surasadi

Bhavaprakash: Guduchyadi varga

ENGLISH NAME: Five leaved chaste, Indian Privet

COMMON NAME:

Hindi: Nirgundi

Punjabi: Sambhalu

Bengali: Nirgundi, Nishinda

Kannada: Lakkigida, Nekkigida, Lakkimara

REFERENCE: BHAVAPRAKASH SAMHITA with link e Nighantu:

https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/e-Nighantu/bhavaprakashanighantu/?mod=read

सिन्दुवारः श्वेतपुष्पः सिन्दुकः सिन्दुवारकः |

नीलपुष्पी तु निर्गुण्डी शेफाली सुवहा च सा ||९८||

सिन्दुकः स्मृतिदस्तिक्तः कषायः कटुको लघुः |

केश्यो नेत्रहितो हन्ति शूलशोथाममारुतान् ||९९||

कृमिकुष्ठारुचिश्लेष्मज्वरान्नीलापि तद्विधा |

सिन्दुवारदलं जन्तुवातश्लेष्महरं लघु ||१००||

HABITAT: Throughout India in the warmer zones; ascending to 900m in the North-western Himalayas

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION:

It is deciduous shrub or tree found throughout India. Branchlets underside of leaves, inflorescence with short gray pubescence. Leaves are 3-5,foliate,leaflets lanceolate, green above, tomentose beneath. Flowers are small ,bluish purple in lateral chymes, calyx teeth triangular. Fruits are drupaceous and black when ripe. Seeds are obovate.

MAJOR CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: Alkaloids-(Nishindine)

Dried powder of roots contains hen-triacontane, beta-sitosterol and its ae-tat and stigmasterol.

The leaves contain iridoid glyco-sides, isomeric flavanones and flavo-noids

THERAPEUTIC USES:

• Joint pain, swelling-Matured leaves are collected and fine paste is made. This is warmed a little and applied over the joints or the area of swelling.
• Asthma, cough- The leaf decoction (preferably from dry leaves) is administered in the dose of 20-30 ml twice or thrice daily.
• Wounds, ulcers –The freshly prepared leaf decoction is used to wash the wounds.
• Nasal discharge- 2-4 gram of powder of its fruits is administered 2-3 times a day. Or else this can be made into hot infusion and administered.

INDICATIONS :

Krimi roga Intestinal worm infestations, Kustha Skin disorders, Shoola Spasm, Gulma Tumor, Pliha roga spleen disorders, Aruchi Anorexia

USEFUL PART: Root, leaves

DOSAGE:10-20ml

AYURVEDIC FORMULATION:

1. Mahavisagarbha Taila
2. Manasa mitra vataka
3. Dashamool Taila