Barleria prionitis L.

Family : Acanthaceae

English Name : Barleria, Lobed needle grass

Origin : Tropical Asia, Africa and India

Description

A much-branched, usually prickly shrub up to 3 m tall, with whitish stems and rounded branches. Leaves opposite, elliptic, acuminate, lineolate, bristle-tipped, entire, 9-18 cm long and 2.5 to 5.7 cm wide, glabrous above, young leaves often pubescent beneath. Flowers orange-yellow or cream-coloured, sessile, borne in axillary foliaceous bristle-tipped bracts. Fruits ovoid, 1.8 to 2.5 cm long with a tapering beak, 2-seeded.

Habitat
Rocky slopes of foothills in Garhwal (Himalayas) and tropical areas in India.

Parts Used : Flower, leaf, bark., stem, whole plant and root.

Herb Effects
Induces perspiration (bark juice); antiseptic (plant); expectorant (bark juice).

Active Ingredients
Barlerin and acetylbarlerin (leaf and stem); scutellarein-7-neohesperidoside (flower).

Medicinal Use

As an expectorant (bark juice) and in catarrh (of children) (plant juice); in whooping cough and bronchitis (plant decoction); for wounds (leaf). as a poultice to promote healing of wounds and to relieve rheumatic pains, scabies and itches (crushed leaves); as a gargle to relieve toothache (leaf decoction).

Reference