Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Nymphaea nouchali BURM. F.


Family : Nymphaeaceae

Description
A large perennial aquatic herb with short, erect, roundish, tuberous rhizome. Leaves floating, peltate, sharply sinnuate-toothed. Flowers large, floating, solitary, variable in colour from pure white to deep red. Fruit berry, spongy. Seeds many, minute, greyish black when dry with longitudinal striations.

Parts Used : Rhizome, flower and seeds

Herb Effects
Flowers are astringent and cardiotonic.

Medicinal Use
The rhizome has cooling and tonic properties. Used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery, dipsia and general debility. Seeds are cooling, constipating, aphrodisiac, stomachic and restorative. Used to treat dipsia, diarrhoea and dermatopathy.

Reference

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