Bharangi is a shrub that reaches a height of 0.9 to 2.4 meters. It is scarcely woody and not much branched with stems that are bluntly quadrangular. Leaves are ternate, opposite that reaches 28 cm long usually 12.5 to 14 by 5.7-6.3 cm. Leaves are oblong or elliptic having an acute tip with a coarsely and sharply serrate margin. The base of the leave is acute and has a glabrous texture. Flowers are showy, numerous in lax pubescent dichotomous cymes having pair of acute bracts. Pedicles are twisted for making a large lower corolla. Bracts are 1.3 to 3.8 cm long usually obovate to lanceolate in shape. The calyx is cup-shaped, puberulous, truncate, and about 5 mm long. Corolla is glabrous and pale blue with a dark bluish-purple lower lobe. Drupe is obovoid, succulent, and measures 6 mm long.
Traditional uses
- It is used for treating health conditions such as anorexia, inflammation, asthma, cough, anorexia, tubercular gland, hiccough and skin diseases.
- It is externally applied for ophthalmia and cephalgia.
- Root promotes appetite and is useful in cough, asthma, and scrofulous affections.
- It is used to treat fever and sinusitis.
- Apply the leaves juice with ghee to pemphigus and herpetic eruptions.
- In Unani and Ayurvedic medicine in India, Bharangi roots are used to cure respiratory ailments.
- It is used to treat anasarca, coryza, epilepsy, cough, intermittent fevers, dyspnea and mental disorders.
- In traditional medicine, it is used for treating rheumatism, dyspepsia and provide relief from cold symptoms.
- Boil bruised seeds in buttermilk and use as aperient.
- The bruised seeds, boiled in buttermilk are used as an aperient.
- For asthma and bronchitis, drink root decoction twice a day for 3 days to get relief from asthma, cough and bronchitis.
- Take root decoction twice a day for three days for curing liver ailments.
- Take decoction of Bharangi panchang to treat tuberculosis.
- Apply the grinded roots of Bharangi on forehead for few hours to provide relief from headache and migraine.
- Apply the poultice of grinded Bharangi leaves on eyes to treat eye problems.
- Take decoction of Bharangi panchang twice a day to treat hiccups, stomach infections and food poisoning.
- Apply the paste of leaves to wounds.
- Take Bharangi with honey and ghee for bronchial asthma.
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