Botanical Name

Pedalium murex L.

Family

Pedaliaceae.

Synonyms

Pedalium microcarpum Decne., Pedalium muricatum Salisb., Rogeria microcarpa Klotzsch.

Regional Name

English : Large Caltrops, Hindi: Bara Gokhru, Bada Gokhru, Pila Gokhru, Sanskrit : Brhat-goksura, Brhatgoksura, Brhatgoksuram, Brihatgokshura, Gokshuru, Goksurah, Srngatika, Malayalam : Kattunjerinjil, Kakkamullu, Aanayiruthimullu, Aananjerinjil, Ananerinnil, Kannada: Ane neggilu, Tamil: Yanai nerunjil, Oriya: Gokhara, Marathi: Gokhura, Mota Gokhru, Gujarati: Kadva gokhru.

Part Used

Fruit.

Description

It is an annual plant widely distributed in east Africa, Indonesia & India. Within India, it occurs commonly in waste places in the Deccan Peninsula, particularly near the coast, river belts and other sandy areas. It occurs also in Delhi, Rajasthan and Punjab. It is diffuse annual, much branched, spreading, succulent, glandular, up to 60 cm tall. Roots similar to turmeric in colour. Leaves simple, opposite, ovate or oblong-obovate, 1-4.5 cm long, irregularly and coarsely crenate-serrate. Flower axillary and solitary, bright yellow, 1.5-2 cm across, stalk 1-2 mm long, increasing up to 4 mm in fruit. Fruits are blunty 4-angled with stout, sharp, conical horizontal spines from the angles.

Phytoconstituents

It contains Alkaloid, glycosides, flavonoids, sapogenin, fatty oil and resin.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa - Madhura, Guna - Guru, snigdha, Vipaka - Madhura, Virya - Sita, Karma -Vrsya, Brmhana, Vatanut, Vastisodhana, Asmarihara.

Ayurvedic Applications

Arsa, Svasa, Sularoga, Daurbalya, Hrdroga, Kasa, Mutrakrcchra.

Medicinal Uses

This plant is useful in strangury, renal and vesicular calculi, aphthae, puerperal diseases, spermatorrhoea, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, cough, asthma, pain, skin diseases, heart troubles, piles, leprosy, inflammation, splenomegaly, dyspepsia, appetizer, flatulence, ulcers, fever and general debility.