Botanical name: Plumbago zeylanica
Latin name: Plumbago indica
Family name: Plumbaginaceae
English name: White leadwort
Common name: Chitrak
Habit: Perennial herb
Useful Parts: Root barks (fresh) and leaves
Ayurvedic Properties
Rasa
Rasa (Taste): Tikta (bitter), Katu (pungent)
Guna
Guna (Qualities): Laghu (light), Ruksha (dry)
Virya
Virya (Potency): Shita (cold)
Vipaka
Vipaka (Post-digestion): Katu (pungent)
Doshakarma
Pitta-vatashamak (alleviate Pitta and Vatta Dosha)
Morphology
- A shrub with slender branches and sticky white tubular flowers.
- Leaves are oval and papery, fruits are capsules with sticky glands.
- Seeds are dark brown or black.
Medicinal
Uses
Digestive Health
Helps with flatulence, indigestion, and diarrhea.
Support For Respiratory Function
helpful in case of inflammatory conditions, bronchitis and cough.
Skin Disorders
Additional Advantages
Home
Treatments
Digestive Issues:
To treat diarrhoea and lack of appetite due to gastrointestinal disorders, 1-2 g of Chitraka powder with 5 grammes of Mustaka powder can be used.
Removes intestinal worms and boosts digestive fire.
Joint Disorders:
Massage oil made with Chitraka for relief from Sandhivata and Amavata.
Urinary Stones:
Consume 5–10ml Chitraka decoction daily. Improves appetite and digestion; useful in anorexia.
Research & Clinical
Studies
Anti-H. Pylori Activity
Proven to inhibit Helicobacter pylori effectively.
Cancer Research
Contains plumbagin, which can inhibit cell proliferation in leukemia.