It is an erect rigid annual with 1.2 to 1.8 m height and grooved and rounded branches. Leaves are simple, obtuse-acute, sub-sessile and narrow. Flowers are yellow and 2.5 cm long in lateral or terminal racemes. The pods are 2.5 to 3.0 cm long, sessile and thick-skinned. Each pod contains 10 to 15 kidney -shaped seeds.
Herb Effects
Emmenagogue, abortifacient, refrigerant, demulcent, emetic, purgative and abortive (leaves). Root is astringent; seeds are corrective of blood, antiimplantation and toxic to the liver.
Junceine, riddelline, tricodesmine, senecionine and seneciphylline (pyrrolizidine alkaloids); linoleic, oleic and linolenic acids (seed oil).
Chemistry
of Active Ingredients
Name
CAS#
IUPAC Name
Formula
Structure
Riddelline
23246-96-0
Not Available
C18H23NO6
Senecionine
130-01-8
Not Available
C18H25NO5
Seneciphylline
480-81-9
Not Available
C18H23NO5
Linoleic acid
8024-22-4
Octadeca-9,12-dienoi c acid
C18H32O2
Oleic acid
8046-01-3
octadec-9-enoic acid
C18H34O2
Linolenic acid
94138-91-7
octadeca-9,12,15-tri enoic acid
C18H30O2
Pharmacology
Medicinal Use
As a laxative, abortifacient and for inducing vomitting (leaf); and the seeds in impetigo, psoriasis and as emmenagogue. Besides, a paste of the leaves is applied in skin diseases. Seeds are used to purify blood, in treatment of impetigo, psoriasis and skin diseases. It is used as an emmenagogue. Flowers are used to treat leucorrhoea and blood diseases.
Reference
Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.
Health Remedies 
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