Bandhuka

Description

Habitat: Widely cultivated in gardens, temple premises, and hedges throughout India. Thrives in tropical climates with well-drained soils. Morphology: A dense evergreen shrub up to 1–2 m. Leaves are opposite, leathery, oblong, and dark green. Flowers are small, tubular, scarlet red, or orange, arranged in dense corymbs. Fruits are small globose berries turning black when ripe. Grahya Lakṣaṇa: Flowers should be bright red, fresh, and intact. Roots should be firm and bark unshriveled.

Useful Parts

Flowers, roots, bark, leaves

Benefits

1. Antidiarrheal – Root and flower extracts reduce frequency and severity of diarrhea. 2. Antioxidant – Protects against oxidative stress and cellular damage. 3. Hepatoprotective – Supports liver function and detoxification. 4. Antimicrobial – Effective against common skin and gut pathogens. 5. Anti-inflammatory – Reduces edema, joint pain, and swelling. 6. Anticancer – Some phytochemicals inhibit cancer cell proliferation. 7. Dermatological uses – Flowers and leaves are used for acne, boils, and skin eruptions.

Pharmacological Action

Astringent Antidiarrheal Antimicrobial Anti-inflammatory Antipyretic

Rasapancakam

Rasa: Kashaya, tikta

Guna: Laghu, ruksha

Virya: Sheeta

Vipaka: Katu

Dosha Karma: Pitta kapha shamaka