Asteracantha
Posted by admin on Apr 10, 2008
Asteracantha is a hardy, upright, herbaceous plant which is hydrophytic in nature, or found growing in wet and marshy areas. The hairy stem is square and thickened at the nodes. Six stalkless lanceolate leaves forming a whorl are produced from each node. Four pairs of purplish-blue bilabiate, or two-lipped, flowers are put forth from the nodes. The capsule which is produced contains 4 to 8 seeds with white hairs.
Herbal use
- Asteracantha useful as a tonic to give tone and vitality to the body.
- Asteracantha useful for diarrhea dysentery.
- Asteracantha useful inflammations and biliousness or congestion of the liver.
- To cure diseases of the eye.
- For pains and other abdominal problems.
- To take care of constipation and anuria, or the absence of excretion from the body.
- It is useful also for the cure of jaundice, rheumatism and urino-genital diseases.
Instruction
A decoction or infusion of the leaves will take care of all the disorders listed in Number 1 to 7 above.
Major parts used
The leaves for Numbers 1 to 7 above. The seeds are sometimes used for biliousness.