Botanical Name

Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeusch., Family :- Poaceae.

Synonyms

Imperata allang Jungh., Imperata angolensis Fritsch, Imperata arundinacea Cirillo,  Imperata  dinteri Pilg., Imperata filifolia Nees ex Steud., mperata latifolia (Hook.f.) L.Liou, Saccharum cylindricum  (L.) Lam., Saccharum thunbergii Retz.

Regional Name

English : Thatch grass, Cogon grass, Hindi : Daabha, Siru, Ulu, Sanskrit : Yajnmula, Ulu, Kutuka, Kharadarbha, Svetadarbha, Bengali : Ulu, Gujrati : Daabhdo, Darabh, Kannada : Sanna dabbac hullu, Malayalam : Vidulam, Marathi : Darsnaa, Dhub, Punjabi : Daaba, Sil, Tamil : Nanal, Darbhaipul, Telugu : Darbalu, Darbha gaddi, Modewa gaddi

Part Used

Root.

Description

The plant is a perennial rhizomatous grass, native to east and southeast Asia, India, Micronesia, Melanesia, Australia, and eastern and southern Africa. It grows from 0.6 to 3 m (2 to 10 feet) tall. It is distributed in the hotter parts of India from Punjab southwards. The roots are fibrous, up to 2 mm. in diameter, arising from the nodes of stolons; surface uneven, with fine wrinkles, light brown to dark brown in colour; fracture fibrous; taste and odour-indistinct.

Phytoconstituents

It contains triterpenoids (cylindrin, arundoin, fernenon, Isoburneol and simiarenol).

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Madhura, Kasaya, Guna : Laghu, Snigdha, Virya : Sita, Vipaka : Madhura, Karma : Rasayana, Vamaka, Tridasahara, Mutravirecaniya, Stanyajanana, Pipasahara, Kusthaghna, Dahaprasamana,

Ayurvedic Applications

Asmari, Daha, Jvara, Mutraghata, Mutrakrcchra, Raktapitta, Visarpa, Trsa, Bastisula, Raktapradara, Raktarsa, Pradara, Pittabhisyanda

Medicinal Uses

It is used in the treatment of nose bleeds, haematuria, haematemesis, oedema and jaundice and also used in diarrhoea and dysentery.