Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Scindapsus officinalis Schott


English Name : Scindapsus

Family : Araceae

Description
A large epiphytic climber. Leaves 15-25 cm long, obliquely ovate-oblong, cuspidate, leathery; spadix of bisexual, greenish yellow flowers enclosed in an oblong spathe, green without and yellow within; berries closely adpressed, a few only ripening, fleshy.

Habitat
Often found in salt forests; sub-Himalayas, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.

Parts Used : Leaf, fruit and stem

Herb Effects
Carminative, anthelmintic, diaphoretic, stimulant and antiprotozoal (fruit); hypoglycemic (stem and fruit).

Active Ingredients
Scindapsins A and B (fruit)

Medicinal Use
Rheumatism (fruit paste); in diarrhoea, to expel worms and as carminative (fruit); in diabetes (stem and fruit); Powdered leaves are snuffed to control nasal bleeding.

Reference

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