Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants
Asystasia gangetica
Family: Acanthaceae (Barleria family)
Genus: Asystasia
Botanical name: Asystasia gangetica
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Sanskrit: Lavana valli
Hindi:
English: Ganges Primrose, Chinese violet, Creeping foxglove
Malayalam: Uppiliyan, Upputhalai, Valliupudali
Genus: Asystasia
Botanical name: Asystasia gangetica
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Sanskrit: Lavana valli
Hindi:
English: Ganges Primrose, Chinese violet, Creeping foxglove
Malayalam: Uppiliyan, Upputhalai, Valliupudali
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
This plant is a spreading herb or groundcover, reaching 600 mm in height or up to 1 m if supported. The stems root easily at the nodes. The leaves are simple and opposite. The fruit is an explosive capsule which starts out green in colour, but dries to brown after opening.
In some parts of Africa, the leaves are eaten as a vegetable and used as an herbal remedy in traditional African medicine. The leaves are used in many parts of Nigeria as a traditional African medicine for the management of asthma. It is also used as an ornamental plant.