Anantmool, Indian Sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus)

Description of Plant

Anantmool is a climber found throughout India. Leaves are 2.5 inches long and alternatively arranged in a pair. Upper part is oval in shape and it is very soft. The stem of this plant is cylindrical with thick nodes. The woody roots are underground and are very aromatic. Flowers of this herb is found in cluster yellow and greenish purple in color. Fruits of this vine are divergent long follicles 2-4 inch long. This plant is used as a household remedy for various disorders. Leaves and roots have medicinal properties.

General Information

Anantmool is a great herb which has many versatile properties. It is very effective in managing gastritis and many other pitta disorders in the body.

It is also known as "Sariva" and is used in managing disorders of the reproductive system in females. It is a very good natural detoxification herb and helps in managing health naturally. It is a very useful plant in the Indian system of medicine. There are two varieties of this shrub which are demarcated by the color of their flowers, one of them is called as shvetasariva (bearing white flowers) and the other one is called as Krishna sariva (black variety) but both of them seem to have similar medicinal value. The roots are woody and aromatic while the stems are cylindrical, green in color and numerous.

Special Note about Hemidesmus Indicus

It is one of the best detoxifying herb which helps in cleaning the body inside out. It has got amazing health benefits in that it helps to purify blood and improves skin texture as well.

Apart from the above common properties, it is used for the management of many gynecological problems in females such as menorrhagia, leucorrhea, dysmenorrhea etc.

Habitat

Sariva or Anantmool is a soft, tender, twining shrub which is commonly found in most parts of India. Commonly it is available in North Western parts of Himalaya. It is also cultivated in Punjab. It is a very useful plant in the Indian system of medicine.

Classification

• Kingdom - Plantae
• Order – Gentianales
• Family – Apocyanaceae

Names

• English name – Indian Sarsaparilla.
• Hindi name – Anantmool, Kapuri
• Sanskrit name – Sariva, Ananta, Asfota, Utpal Sariva, Shyama, Canadana, Gopi, Gopavalli etc.
• Marathi Name – Upalsari, Uparsal.
• Gujarati name – Kapuri, Upalasari
• Tamil name – Nannari
• Kannada Name – Sogade beru

Ayurvedic Properties

Effects On Doshas

It balances tridosha.

Practical Uses of Hemidesmus Indicus

• It is one of the best detoxifying herb which helps in cleaning the body inside out. It has got amazing health benefits as it helps to purify blood and improve skin texture as well.
• Apart from the above common properties, it is used for the management of many gynecological problems such as menorrhagia, leucorrhea, dysmenorrhea etc.
• Sariva has got amazing blood purifying properties. It is therefore used in the treatment of snake bite, scorpion bites and other poisonous insect bite cases. How this herb acts to neutralize these cases is continuously being researched so that more and more similar effects of this versatile herb can come to the rescue of mankind.
• In managing veneral diseases anatamool is very effective. Due to its detoxifying properties it helps in clearing infections, blocks in the reproductive system of both males and females and eradicating deadly microbial diseases like gonorrhea, leucorrhea etc.
• Anantmool has cooling properties, when administered in the body it has a very stabilizing and cooling impact which helps to neutralize abnormal acid secretions in the gut. For example, in case of severe gastritis, stomach ulcers and ulcerative colitis, Sariva can be very useful for the patient. Sometimes ulceration may lead to bleeding, Sariva can be a great herb in this case.
• It helps to bring down high fever and also manages skin conditions due to vitiated pitta.
• For oral ulcers, the skin of its woody roots can be taken and chewed to provide quick relief.
• Roots can be boiled to make a sweet decoction which is very refreshing for the body and can be used when one feels like having a cup of tea or coffee.
• It is useful for treating anemia and can be taken orally in many ways for the same.
• Anantmool is a general body tonic which can be taken along with milk and black pepper for improving overall health.
• It can also be used with honey to improve strength and vitality of the body.
• Anantmool can act as a good brain tonic as well. It can be given to children with speech disorders, autism etc. People struggling with depression, psychiatric disorders etc. can also benefit with the use of Anantmool.
• Ananatamool root paste can be applied externally to treat joint pain in case of osteoarthritis and gout. It is also helpful in curing many skin conditions as well.
• It is used to pacify all three dosha i.e vata, pitta and kapha.

Part Used

• Leaves
• Roots