Kaalamegh

KAALAMEGHA

Botanical Source: Andrographis panicultata Wall. ex Nees

Family : Acanthaceae .

Sanskrit Synonyms : Kaalmegha, Bhu - nimba, Bhuuminimbaka, Vishwambharaa, Yavtikta, Kalpanaatha

Common Names:

Hindi : Kaalamegha/ kalpanatha

Gujarati : Kariyaatu

Marathi : Oli-kiriyaaata

Unani : Kiryaat

Telugu : Nelaberu

Siddha/Tamil : Nilavembu

English : Creat/ Kalamegh

Botanical Description :

A. panicultata found throughout India, from Himachal Pradesh to Assam and Mizoram, and all over southern India. It is an annual herb grows up to 50 cm in height, having slender quadrangular branches, leaves opposite, lanceolate, sub sessile, flowers small bluish white, numerous, whitish, fruits minute pointed capsules, seeds are many.

Chemical Constituents :

Kaalmegha, officinal in IP, consists of dried leaves and tender shoots, which yield not less than 1% andrographolide on dry-weight basis. Several active constituents have been identified from the leaf and rhizome, including andrographolide, deoxyandrographolide and other diterpe.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Tikta

Guna : Lakhu, Rooksha,

Veerya : Ushna

Vipaaka : Katu

Karma : Kaphapittahara, Deepana, Yakruta-uttejaka, Pittasaaraka, Rechana, Krimgighna, Raktashodhaka, Shothahara, Swedajanana, Jwaraghna, Katupoushtika, Shothahara

Actions :

Hepatoprotective, cholinergic, antispasmodic, stomachic, anthelmintic, alterative, blood purifier, febrifuge. It acts well on the liver, promoting secretion of bile.

Therapeutics Uses/ Indications:

Agnimaandha, Yakruddhavruddhi, Vivandha, Shotha, Jwara .

• Used in jaundice and torpid liver, flatulence and diarrhoea of children, colic, strangulation of intestines and splenomegaly; also for cold and upper respiratory tract infections.


• As bitter tonic, febrifuge and hepatoprotective. (Indian Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)


• The herb is contraindicated in bleeding disorders, hypotension, as well as male and female sterility (exhibited infertility in laboratory animals).

Part(s) Used: whole plant

Dosage :

Whole plant: 510 ml juice; 50100 ml decoction; 13g powder.