Chokankeera ചൊക്കൻകീര

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Chokankeera is an annual, 10-30 cm high, branching from the base. Beanches are somewhat succulent, glaucous and fragile. Stalked leaves are triangular-arrow-shaped, entire. Flower racemes are simple or branched. Flower stalks are solitary, bearing twin flower. Valves of fruit-bearing primary flower nearly circular, 1.2-1.8 cm long and broad, without a marginal nerve, entire, net-veined. Fruit is somewhat or hardly smaller, folded together with the primary one and hidden by it. Nut of primary flower is 3.4-4.7 mm long, greyish-brown, that of secondary flower 2.8-4 mm, darker brown.
The plant is cooling, tonic, analgesic, laxative and stomachic; useful in heart troubles, tumours, constipation, hiccup, flatulence, asthma, bronchitis and piles. Leaf juice is astringent, cooling, aperients and a strong diuretic; relieves toothache, checks nausea and promotes appetite. Fruits are aperients and diuretic; eaten fresh against jaundice, hepatic conditions, constipation and indigestion. Roasted seeds are prescribed in dysentery.