Achyranthes aspera

Scientific name: Achyranthes aspera

Family: Amaranthaceae

Commmon names: Prickly Chaff-flower, Chirchita, Latjira, Onga.

Achyranthes aspera is an important medicinal herb found as a weed throughout India. It grows as wasteland herb everywhere.

Achyranthes aspera

Achyranthes aspera

Since time immemorial, it is in use as folk medicine. Though almost all of its parts are used in traditional systems of medicines, seeds, roots and shoots are the most important parts which are used medicinally.

Traditionally, the plant is used in asthma and cough. It is pungent, antiphlegmatic, antiperiodic, diuretic, purgative and laxative, useful in oedema, dropsy and piles, boils and eruptions of skin etc. Crushed plant is boiled in water and is used in pneumonia. Infusion of the root is a mild astringent in bowel complaints. The flowering spikes or seeds, ground and made into a paste with water, are used as external application for bites of poisonous snakes and reptiles, used in night blindness and cutaneous diseases. For snake bites the ground root is given with water until the patient vomits and regains consciousness. Inhaling the fume of Achyranthes aspera mixed with Smilax ovalifolia roots is suggested to improve appetite and to cure various types of gastric disorders. It is useful in haemorrhoids, leaves and seeds are emetic, hydrophobia, carminative, resolve swelling, digestive and expel phlegm. Ash of the plant is applied externally for ulcers and warts. The crushed leaves rubbed on aching back to cure strained back. A fresh piece of root is used as tooth brush. Paste of the roots in water is used in ophthalmia and opacities of the cornea. Paste of fresh leaves is used for allaying pain from bite of wasps.

The plant is useful in liver complaints, rheumatism, scabies and other skin diseases. It also possesses tranquillizing properties