Botanical Name

Scindapsus officinalis Schoott.

Family

Araceae.

Synonyms

Monstera officinalis (Roxb.) Schott, Pothos officinalis Roxb., Scindapsus annamicus Gagnep.

Regional Name

Hindi : Gajapeepal , Sanskrit : Gajakrsna, Hastipipali , Punjabi : Gajapeepal , Bengali : Gajapeepal , Gujrati : Motopeepar , Kannada : Adkebeeluvalli  Malayalam : Attipali , Marathi : Gajapipalee.

Part Used

Fruit.

Description

It is a large epiphytic climber, found all along the sub-Himalayan tract between an altitude of 330-1000 m in West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and the Andaman Islands. Fruit Occurs in transversely cut circular pieces of about 2.0-3.0 cm in diameter and 2.0-3.5 cm thick, brownish-grey, rough and scaly, cut surface has a central core, surrounded by fruits enclosing the seed covered partly by aril; odour and taste not distinct. Seed Kidney-shaped, 0.3-0.4 cm wide, 0.4-0.6 cm long, smooth, shiny, greyish-brown with a dent, odour and taste not distinct.

Phytoconstituents

Glucosides viz. Scindapsin A & Scindapsin B, Sugars & Fixed Oil

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Katu , Guna : Ruksa , Virya : Usna , Vipaka : Katu, Karma : Dipana, Kanthya, Kaphahara, Vatahara, Agnivardhaka, Malavisosan, , Stanya, Varnya.

Ayurvedic Applications

Atisara, svasa, Krmiroga, Kanha Roga

Medicinal Uses

It is used in parasitic worms (helminths) and other internal parasites from the body, Relieving or preventing dysentery, asthma, inflammation by acting on body mechanisms, pain.