A stout herb up to 1.5 m high, more or less hispid with long hairs; stems numerous, erect, usually unbranched, subquadrangular, thickened at the nodes. Leaves in whorls of 6, the outer 2 the larges, oblong-lanceolate or oblanceolate, up to 18 cm long and 3.2 cm wide, with sharp, yellow, axillary spines; the two outer leaves of each whorl larger and others much smaller. Flowers bluish-purple, in sessle axillary whorls. Fruits (capsules) 0.8 cm long, linear-oblong, pointed, containing 4 to 8 orbicular seeds.

Lowers blood pressure and alleviates spasms (50% EtOH plant extract); aphrodisiac (seed), hypnotic.

Herbal Monograph

Itigmasterol, lupeol and hydrocarbons (plant); sterols and an alkaloid (aerial part); betulin (root)

As an aphrodisiac and a tonic (seed); in cancer and tubercular fistula (plant); in urogenital disorders (such as spermatorrhea) and impotence, as a uterine sedative for pregnant women and for treating diseases of the blood and biliousness, to treat rheumatism, gonorrhoea, jaundice, anasarca, diarrhoea, dysentery, thirst, urinary calculi and urinary discharges, inflammations, biliousness, diseases of the eyes, pains, high blood pressure, ascites and abdominal troubles, anaemia, constipation and anuria.

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.