SHAHEED KARTAR SINGH SARABHA AYURVEDIC MEDICAL COLLEGE & HOSPITAL

Kakjangha

Botanical Name : Pergularia extensa N. E. Br.

Family : Asclepiadaceae; Periplocaceae.

Names in different Indian languages :

English : Hairknot Plant,Whitlow Plant

Hindi : Utaran,Jutak

Kannada : Talavaranaballi, halokoratige

Malayalam : Velliparuthi

Sanskrit : Kakjangha, Kurutakah,Uttamarani

Tamil : Velliparuthi

Telugu : Gurcettu, jittupaku

Folk : Utaran

Synonyms :

P. daemia (Forsk.) Chiov

Uttamaarani, Vrischikaali, Vishaanikaa. Phalakantaka. Ajashringi

Morphology :

The opposite and broadly ovate to suborbicular leaves are very variable in size, with petioles of varying length. The leaves are almost glabrous above and velvety below.

In the northern hemisphere the flowers appear from mid to late winter, and these are carried on lateral cymes. The flower corolla forms a greenish-yellow or dull white tube. The fruit mature after some 13 to 14 months when they release ovate seeds covered with velvety hairs.

Uses :

Uterine stimulant, tones up urinary bladder, stimulates gastric secretion, expectorant, emetic

Chemicals :

betaine, a polypeptide, hentriacontane, lupeol, alpha-and beta-amyrin, beta-sitosterol