Gloriosa superba Kalalavi, a perennial creeper, herbaceous, tall plant, Dr.Abhay Kumar Pati, USA

June 10, 2010 - PRLog -- KALALAVI

Latin Name:            Gloriosa superba
English Names:          Malabar glory lily
Sanskrit Name:   Agninukhi, Agnisikha, Ailni, Garbhaghatini, Kalikari, Lanyli, Vishalya
Indian name:            Kalihari, Kalalavi

Medicinal Parts used:       Rhizome and Leaves   

Kalalavi is a perennial creeper, a herbaceous, tall, stout climbing herb. It has a root-stock of arched, solid, fleshy-white cylindric tubers, leaves sessile, ovate lanceolate, tip ending in a tendril-like spiral, flowers large solitary, axillary, changing colors from greenish yellow, orange, scarlet and crimson from blooming to fading, fruits capsule. Flowering time July in October to Indian conditions.

It is common in forests, and under cultivation in fairly large areas of India, ascending up to 2000 m on the hills.

It contains alkaloid named colchicines 0.2 to 0.3% and also contains gloriosine. In Ayurveda and Yunani systems of medicine it is a reputed medicine. According to Ayurveda, tuber is pungent, bitter, acrid, heating, anthemirtic, laxative, alexiteric, abortifacient, and useful in ulcers, leprosy, piles, inflammations, abdominal pains, itching and thirst.

Therapeutic use:
•   The roots and leaves are used in snakebites.
•   It reduces inflammation and works as anti wormal agent.
•   It also helps digestion.
•   It purifies blood and curbs infection in the body.
•   It helps in contraction of uterus after parturition.
•   It brings down the fever, especially malarial fever.
•   It also supports the body and provides it with strength.
•   Root-paste is effective against paralysis, rheumatism, snake bite, insect bite.
•   Leaf-juice is effective against lice.

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Biotechayur manufactures botanical standardized nutritional herbal extracts. Biotechayur also manufactures aminoacids, protein, and aromatic essences
The plant is located in Orissa, India