Botanical name – Phyllanthus niruri Linn.
Family - Euphorbiaceae
Hindi name - Jangli amlai, Bhui amla
English name - Gale of wind, stonebreaker
Sanskrit names - Bhumyamalaki, Bhüdhatri, Tamalaki, Bahupatra,
Bahuphala.
Botanical Description - Bhumyamalaki is a Annual herb 30-60 cm. high,
quite glabrous stem of ten branched at the base, angular leaf bearing
branchlets spreading.
Leaves numerous, 3-6 mm., base rounded, petioles very short.
Flowers yellowish, very numerous.
Flowering and fruiting time - Autumn season and onwards. Plant dormancy
(drying) season-summers.
Habitat - It is found throughout hot parts of India and Paki stan. Tropics
generally. Various provinces of country such as Andhra Pradesh,
Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu, Uttar Pradesh and other
regions.
Classical categorization -
Charaka Samhita – Kasahara,shwasahara
Dhanvantari Nighantu – Chandanadi varga
Bhava Prakasha Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga
Chemical composition - Plant contains on active principle phyllanthin.
Therapeutics Properties -
Guna (qualities) - Laghu( Light to digest), ruksha(dryness)
Rasa(Taste) - Tikta (bitter), Kashaya, Madhura
Veerya- sheeta(cold potency)
Vipak - Madhura(taste conversion after digestion sweet)
Dosha - Kaphapittalamaka.
Uses-
External uses - Vraṇa-vranaśoth-duṣṭavrana, Kṣata,Kustha-kaṇḍū Asthibhagna, Netravikāra.
Whole plant, leaves, fruits and roots are employed in external remedies applied to tubercular ulcers, ulcers, wounds, sores, bruises, scabies, ringworm and other skin affections.
Internal uses –
The fruit and the plant are sour, astringent, sweetish, bitter and cooling; it is
useful in thirst, bronchitis, leprosy, anaemia, urinary discharges, anuria, asthma and hiccough.
It is much used as a diuretic in dropsical affections, also in gonorrhoea and other genitourinary troubles.
The root is given to sleepless children.
Whole plant is used in urinary diseases and gonorrhoea; it is a good diuretic.
Seeds are gorund in rice water (tandulodaka) and it is orally used in leucorrhoea
(sveta-rakta pradara).
The juice of the roots is mixed with sugar and it is given orally, and also its drops are used as nasal snuff.
The fresh root is considered to be useful remedy for jaundice.
Parts used - Whole plnat
Dosage – powder- 3 to 6 gms .
Juice – 10 to 20 ml.
Formulations - chyavanprasha avaleha
References –
भूधात्री वातकृत्तिक्ता कषाया मधुश हिमा।
पिपासाकासपित्तास्रकफकण्डूक्षतापहा ।।
(Bhavaprakasa Nighantu, Guḍucyādi varga)
(Reference - Dravyaguna Vijnana – Dr. Gyanendra pandey Vol. 1) for more information about health and ayurveda,stay connected with
