Gandha Prasarini (Paederia Foetida) - Properties, Benefits & Dosage
Gandha Prasarini Plant
Gandha Prasarini (Paederia foetida) is a climber plant which has ovate to lanceolate leaves. Gandha Prasarini leaves are around 5 cm long and 2.5 cm in width. The leaves are also membranous and have long petioles. Gandha Prasarini flowers are found in scorpiod cymes and are purple or violet in color. Gandha Prasarini roots are cylindrical or sub cylindrical and compressed on both sides, with an outer surface covered in root scars. The fruits are compressed, ellipsoid, red or black in color. It is fibrous, the exterior is brownish and the internal color is light brown, with a bitter taste.
Gandha Prasarini
Gandha Prasarini (Paederia foetida) is an important Ayurvedic medicinal herb. The word meaning of Gandha Prasarini in Sanskrit is – it spreads bad smell! It is a unique feature of this herb. Gandha means, smell and prasarini means spreading.
It contains various chemical constituents like essential oil (methyl mercaptan, Linalool), Iridoid glucosides (Asperuloside, paederoside and scandoside, riterpenoids and saponins Ursolic acid, epifriedelinol, friedelin, sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol), Quinones (Embelin), Alkaloids, fatty acids (capric, lauric, myristic, arachidic and palmitic acids), Valine, Tyrosine, Histidine carotene and Vitamin C.
It has various therapeutic properties like Anti-inflammatory, Anti-Oxidant, Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Helminthic and Anti-Hyperglycemic. Because of its different properties it is used in treatment of different ailments like rheumatism, paralysis, abscesses, gout, diarrhea, dysentery, infertility, colic and flatulence.
Its different parts are used in different Ayurvedic Preparations. Its leaves are used against herpes infection, roots are used for relieving pain in the chest or liver, inflammation of spleen and also used as emetic.
Gandha Prasarini Classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Order: Gentianales
- Family: Rubiaceae
- Genus: Paederia
- Species: Foetida
Habitat
It is found in the Himalayas from Dehradun eastwards, up to an altitude of 1800 m above sea level. It is also found in Bihar, Orissa, Bengal and Assam.
Gandha Prasarini Names
- Botanical name - Paederia foetida
- Hindi Name – Gandhaprasarani or Pasaran
- English Name - Chinese flower
- Sanskrit Name - Prasarini, Gandhpatra
- Telugu Name – Takkeda, Savirel
- Bengali Name – Gandhabhaduliya, Gandhabhadule, Gandal
- Marathi Name – Hiran- vel, Hiranvel, Haranvel
- Gujrati Name – Gandhana, Prasarini
- Tamil Name – Pinarisangai, Mudiyar, Kundal
- Assamese name – Bhedai lota or Paduri lota
- Kannada Name - Hesarani, Prasarini bail
- Malayalam Name - Tala nili
- Punjabi Name - Prasarini
- Oriya Name - Suprasara
Ayurvedic Properties of Gandha Prasarini
Hindi / Sanskrit | English | ||
Rasa | Tikta | Taste | Bitter |
Guna | Guru, Sara | Physical Property | Heavy, Flowing |
Virya | Ushna | Potency | Hot |
Vipaka | Katu | Taste conversion after digestion | Pungent |
Gandha Prasarini Effects On Doshas
It manages Kapha and Vata doshas.
Classical Categorization
Charaka Samhita | Sushrut Samhita | Vagbhata |
NIL |
NIL |
NIL |
Practical Uses & Benefits Of Paederia Foetida
- Anti-inflammatory activity: It has anti-inflammatory property and is useful in the treatment of edema and all other inflammatory conditions.
- Anti-arthritic activity: It is very useful in the treatment of joint problems like arthritis and joint pain, gout etc.
- It is useful to balance the vata and kapha doshas in body and their related disorders.
- It also has aphrodisiac property and improves the semen quality. It has Anthelmintic activity also.
- It helps to relieve from abdominal pain and bloating.
- It acts as immunity enhancer and provides strength to the body against various infections.
- It is also used to stimulate the central nervous system.
- It is also used in the treatment of fever.
- It also has diuretic property.
- Its fruits are used to relieve toothache.
- It has hepato-protective and antispasmodic activity.
- Its oil is very beneficial in various joint disorders.
- Most of the massage oils used for Vata balancing contain this herb as an essential ingredient. On external use, this herb relieves pain, inflammation and stiffness.