Botanical Name :- Viola odorata L.,

Family :- Violaceae.

Synonyms :- Viola wiedemannii Boiss., Viola odora Neck.

Regional Name :- English : Wood violet, Sweet violet, Common violet, Garden violet,  Hindi : Banafsa, Banafsha, Vanafsha, Banaphsa, Sanskrit : Banafsha, Banapsa, Vanaphsa, Vanspika, Urdu :  Banafsha, Banafshah, Gul banafsha, Gul banafshah, gul-e-banafsha,  Marathi :  Bagabanosa, Tamil : Vayilethe, vayilettu, ratna purus, Ratnapurucu.

Part Used :- Whole Plant.

Description :- The plant is known as Banafsa, Banafsha or Banaksa in India. It is a hardy herbaceous, perennial flowering plant. It’s heart shaped leaves often with scalloped or slightly serrated edges are dark green, smooth or sometimes downy underneath, and grow in a rosette at the base of the plant. Roots are creeping and send out runners. flowers may be from deep purple or blue to pinkish or even yellow whitish.

Phytoconstituents :- The main chemical constituents are flavonoid, glycosides, alkaloids, steroids, terpenes, saponins and tannins. Its Roots & Rhizomes also contains- Odoranite and Cycloviolacin O2 (CyO2). It is also contains Eugenol, Ferulic-acid, Kaempferol, Quercetin, Scopoletin.

Ayurvedic Properties :- Rasa : Katu (pungent), Tikta (bitter), Guna : Laghu (lightness), Snigdha (oiliness, unctuousness), Vipaka : Katu – Undergoes pungent taste conversion after digestion, Virya : Ushna, Effect on Tridosha – Vata Pittahara – Balances Vata and Pitta Dosha.

Ayurvedic Applications :- Pachana, Depana, Jwara, Raktadosha, Sotha, Kasa, Shwasa, Antrasula,

Medicinal Uses :- It is used for treating swelling, inflammation, jaundice, headache, body pains, Abscesses, cancerous growths, pimples, rheumatism of the wrists, skin irritations, sores, superficial tubercles of the glands of the neck, swollen glands, tumors. It is used for treating respiratory ailments, insomnia, cough, asthma, bronchitis, whooping cough, fever, constipation, burning sensation, burning eyes, skin disorders, cystitis, throat infection and rheumatism. It is used as a cardio-tonic, and tonic for brain, liver, and stomach.