![]() There are several medicinal properties and usages of Akasavalli or Akashabela plant. The whole plant and seeds of the plant are widely used in traditional Indian medicine like Ayurveda and Unani. The Ayurvedic practitioners consider the plant to be aphrodisiac, alterative and tonic, and use it in the treatment of eye and heart diseases. The seeds of the plant are widely used as a demulcent, diaphoretic and tonic and their cold infusion is considered carminative and depurative. The practitioners of Unani medicine consider the herb as expectorant, carminative, tonic, anthelmintic, purgative, diaphoretic and diuretic. They use the plant for treating the diseases like jaundice, muscle and joint pains, headache, paralysis, diseases of the spleen, vomiting and lumbago. They also use the plant's seeds to treat liver and spleen diseases and fevers and the infusion of the seeds is used for ophthalmia and a decoction of the seeds is used for biliousness and as a purgative. The Indian people orally take the aqueous extract of Akasavalli or Akashabela plant for treating of Spermatorrhoea, after crushing it with black pepper. The plant's stem is a purgative and its decoction is used to relieve bilious affections. The stem is applied externally for treating skin diseases, as well. The people externally use the extracts of the plant, for getting relief from itches, and they also use the extract internally for relieving protracted fever, flatulence, diphtheria, liver disorders, and to expel hookworms. Many people use an infusion of the plant for washing ulcers and to relieve dermatitis and they use the fruits to treat cough and fever, as well. When used in combination with other plant drugs, like Centella asiatica (Apiaceae), the fruit of Vitex penduncu-laris (Lamiaceae), and black pepper, Akasavalli or Akashabela plant is considered as a contraceptive among Kondh women in southwestern Orissa. The tribal inhabitants of southern Bihar use a paste of the plant to promote healing of tongue ulcers, as well. |