A polymorphous, mealy-white, erect herb, up to 3.5 m in height. Stems rarely slender, angled, often striped green, red or purple; leaves rhomboid, deltoid to lanceolate, upper entire, lower toothed or irregularly lobed, extremely variable in cultivated forms, 10-15 cm long, petioles often as long as the thick blade; flowers in clusters forming a compact or loosely panicled spikes in axils; utricles with round, compressed, shining black seeds, possessing sharp margins.

Depresses the central nervous system, purifies blood, laxative, anthelmintic and cardiotonic (plant); anti-scorbutic, anthelmintic, antiphlogistic, antirheumatic, mildly laxative, odontalgic (leaves)

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Plants for a Future
PIER

Alanine, arginine, ascaridole, ascorbic acid, aspartic acid, glycine, leucine, imperatorin, scopoletin, stigmasterol, trigonelline, valine, xanthotoxin, succinic, malic, oleanolic, oxalic acids (plant); ambroside, beta-carotene, betaine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, niacin, phenylalanine, riboflavin, thiamin, tryptophan, tyrosine, kaempferol-7-rhamnoiside (leaf); ferulic acid, vanillic acid (fruit)

Anemia (root and leaf); stomach worms (plant oil); for treating burns (leaf juice); as a wash or poultice to bug bites, sunstroke, rheumatic joints and swollen feet, whilst a decoction is used for carious teeth (leaves); urinary problems and are considered useful for relieving the discharge of semen through the urine (seeds)

People suffering from rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.

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