SHAHEED KARTAR SINGH SARABHA AYURVEDIC MEDICAL COLLEGE & HOSPITAL

Langali

Botanical Name : Gloriosa superba L.

Family : Colchicaceae

Introduction :

Gloriosa superba is a species of flowering plant in the family Colchicaceae. Common names include flame lily, climbing lily, creeping lily, glory lily

Names in different Indian languages :

English : Glory Lily

Hindi : Bachnag or Kari Hari

Malayalam : menthoni

Sanskrit : langali

Tamil : Kallappai

Synonyms :

Kalhari, Agnishika, visalya, agnimukhi, vahnivaktri

Morphology :

This species is a perennial herb growing from a fleshy rhizome. It is scandent, climbing using modified leaf-tip tendrils, the stem reaching 4 m (13 ft) long.The leaves are mainly alternately arranged, but they may be opposite, as well. They are somewhat lance-shaped and tipped with tendrils, and they are up 13 to 20 cm (5.1 to 7.9 in) long. The showy flower has six tepals each up to 5 to 7.6 cm (2.0 to 3.0 in) long. They are generally bright red to orange at maturity, sometimes with yellowish bases. The margins may be quite wavy. The six stamens also are long, up to 4 cm (1.6 in), and each bears a large anther at the tip that drops large amounts of yellow pollen. The style may be more than 6 cm (2.4 in) long. One flower may weigh over 2.5 g (0.09 oz).The fruit is a fleshy capsule up to 6 to 12 cm (2.4 to 4.7 in) long containing red seeds.

Distribution & Habitat :

Wild, Scrub forests

Chemical constituents :

Colchicine, isoperlolyrine, tropolane alkaloids, sitosterol, glucoside, colchicoside

Properties :

Guns:sara, tikshna;

Rasa: katu, tikta, kashay

Virya: ushna;

Vipaka:katu

Karma :

 kapha vatahara, Garbhapatana

Indication :

Kusta, arsa, vrana, vasti ruja, vatavyadhi, sopha,

Part used :

Tuber, Root 

Uses : The plant shows heating, anthemirtic, laxative, alexiteric, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antileprotic and abortifacient effect. It is very useful in the treatment of ulcers, leprosy and piles. The tuber is very effective in case of hemorrhoids, cancer, impotence and nocturnal seminal emissions. The plant is very useful in curing inflammations, abdominal pains, itching and thirst. In addition to that it is quite beneficial in case of infertility, intestinal worms and skin problem