Sanjeet Kumar and Padan Kumar Jena. (2012).
Spheranthus indicus L. (Bhuikadam): A
medicinal weed found in Odisha, India. Sabujima. 20: 34-37.
Sanjeet
Ravenshaw University
Family
Asteraceae.
Botany of Sphaeranthus indicus
Herb, stem winged , wings irregularly toothed, leaves sessile or semi-amplexicaul, decurrent at the base, serrate-dentate,acute or obtuse, clusters of heads terminal , purple, spherical, peduncles also with crisped or toothed wings.
Common Name
- Buikadam, Mundika , Hata mundi etc in Oriya.
- Sanskrit: mahamundi, mundi, hapus.
- Hindi, Bengali, Marathi & Gujerati: mundi, gorkhmundi.
- Telugu: boddatarupa, boddasoramu
Fl & Fr – Nov- March
Useful Parts
Root, bark, leaves, flowers.
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| Fig :- Sphaeranthus indicus |
Throughout India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Malaysia, Australia.
Medicinal Value ( according to V. Duraipandiyan, P. Kannan and S. Ignacimuthu,2009)
Spheranthus indicus L. (Asteraceae) a medicinal plant is wide spread in India and Malaysia. S. indicus has long been used in the treatment of skin infection, bronchitis, jaundice and nervous depression (Nadkarni 1976). The roots and seeds are considered anthelmintic. The herb is also reported to be useful as a tonic to treat indigestion, asthma, leucoderma and dysentery (Chopra et al. 1956). A novel isoflavone glycoside from leaves (Yadava and Kumar 1999) and a new sesquiterpene glycoside and sphaeranthanolide were isolated from the flowers of S. indicus and it was found to be an immune stimulant (Shekhani et al. 1990). Medicinal information from tribal healers indicated that S. indicus is used to treat skin disease, cough and fever. The bark, ground and mixed with whey, is said to be useful in treating piles. Flowers are credited with alternative, depurative and tonic properties; leaf juice is boiled with milk and sugar-candy and prescribed for cough. An aqueous extract of the whole plant was slightly toxic to American cockroaches (Chopra et al. 1958). The present study was undertaken to assess the antimicrobial property of the solvent extracts of flowers and aerial parts of S. indicus. The S. indicus hexane extracts of flower and aerial parts showed good antibacterial activity against gram positive organisms. Flower extracts were more active than the aerial parts. It also possessed strong antifungal activity against Candida and other tested fungi. The entire plant is reportedly used in the ayurvedic system of medicines in the treatment of epilepsy and mental disorders . It reportedly used to cure piles, hepatitis and have protection against immunosupression.
Medicinal Properties and Uses(according to Pankaj Oudhia Society for Parthenium Management)
According to Ayurveda, this herb is hot, laxative, digestible, tonic, fattening, alternative, anthelmintic and alexipharmic. It is used in insanity, tuberculosis, indigestion, bronchitis, spleen diseases, elephantiasis, anaemia, pain in uterus and vagina, piles, asthma, leucoderma, dysentery, vomiting, hemicrania, etc. Methyl chavicol, a-ionone, d-cadinene, p-methoxy cinnamaldehyde as major constituents and a-terpinene,citral, geraniol, geranyl acetate, b-ionene, sphaerene as minor constituents of essential oil have been identified.
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| Fig :- Sphaeranthus indicus in Harberium sheet. |
Mundi Churna, Mundi panchang swarasa, Mundi kvatha.
Other uses
Leaves eaten as pot-herb. The herb used as a fish poison and stuffed into hole of crabs to kill them. Aqueous extract is poisonous to American cockroaches. Plants yield an essential oil and a fatty oil. The plant is used as a soil fertility indicator
Chemistry
Literature reports on the ariel parts of this plant revealed the presence of an essential oil glucosides, and eudesmanoids an alkaloid sphaeranthine and an isoflavone 5,4‘- dimethoxy-3‘-prenylbiochanin 7-o-β- galctoside with some interesting sesquiterpene and a new flavones glycoside from the stem have been isolated from this herb.
Ethnobotany from literature in Odisha
Medicinal uses
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Reference
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Root and seed powder is given orally to kill intestinal worms in children
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Sobhagini et al 2004
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Root crushed with Achyranthus aspera root and candy is taken thrice daily after each defecation to cure diarrhea.
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Kumar & Behra , 2008
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Sanjeet Kumar
It claims to be fattening but its extract is now being used for weight loss by Life Extension Foundation.
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