A very variable, prickly creeper or climber. The rootstocks are perennial; the roots, long and cylindric with a thin, red bark; the stems, four angled. The leaves are very variable, cordate-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 2 to 8 in a whorl, normally 4, sometimes 1 pair is larger. The flowers are small, white or greenish, or in shades of red and yellow, sweet-scented in terminal panicles of cymes; the fruits, globose, or slightly 2-lobed, dark-purplish or black, fleshy with 2 small seeds.

Alterative, anodyne, antiphlogistic, antitussive, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, styptic, tonic, vulnerary, hypoglycemic (EtOH extract of aerial part); cleanses the bowel, antiseptic and astringent (root).

Herbal Monograph
Plants for a Future
Herb Information

Beta-sitosterol, physcion, purpurin, Munjistin, xanthopurpurin or purpuroxanthin, pseudopurpurin, rubifolic and rubicoumaric acids (plant).

To treat skin diseases, piles, diabetes, fracture, freckles, in rheumatism, leprosy, menorrhagia, abnormal uterine bleeding, internal and external haemorrhage, bronchitis, rheumatism, stones in the kidney, urinary bladder and gall bladder, dysentery etc. (root); antidote for scorpion stings and bites by cobras, in the treatment of blood disorders and spreading fever of kidneys and intestines (stem); spleen enlargement and liver problems (plant).

May cause severe chills.

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