An erect, climbing herb with stinging hairs. Leaves alternate, 3 to 10 cm long and 1 to 5 cm wide, hairy, elliptic-lanceolate, apex acuminate, base rounded or cordate, margins dentate, petioles 0.3 to 1.6 cm long. Flowers monoecious, yellowish, shortly pedicellate, borne in hairy, terminal axillary racemes 2.5 to 5 cm long; male flowers in upper part and female flowers in the lower part; bracts 2.5 mm long, lanceolate, acute, male flowers sepals 6, ovate, pinnatifid, very hispid, 3 mm long. Capsule, 3-lobed, white, less hispid; seeds globose, smooth.

Antileprotic and diaphoretic (root); diuretic and hypothermic (aerial part).

Linoleic acid (fatty plant oil)

In baldness (fruit); as a tonic, antileprotic and diaphoretic (root). Used for treating asthma, fevers, diarrhea, excessive urination, vomiting, dermatosis, perspiration in fevers and itching of the skin.

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