Aromatic, glandular, hairy, branched plant; stems are with toothed wings; leaves are obovate-oblong, serrate; flowers are in heads, purple. The leaves are eaten as a pot-herb. They are mixed with paddy and rice to prevent damage by insect pests during storage.

Anthelmintic (seed and root); diuretic, hypoglycemic and aphrodisiac (plant); antibacterial and antifungal (essential oil); depurifies the body, alterant, depurative, refrigerant and tonic (flower).

Sphaeranthus indicus

Sphaeranthine and beta-sitosterol (plant); spilanthol (flower); methyl chavicol, a-ionone and d-cadenine (essential oil).

Useful in liver and gastric disorders (plant juice); in chest-pains, cough, and piles (root decoction); for skin diseases and as a nerve tonic (powdered leaves); Anthelmintic (seed and root); to treat diabetes (flower).

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