Botanical Name :- Cissampelos pareira L., Family :- Menisperrnaceae.

Synonyms :- Cissampelos argentea Kunth, Cissampelos auriculata Miers, Cissampelos benthamiana  Miers , Cissampelos violifolia Rusby, Cyclea madagascariensis Baill.

Regional Name :- English : Velvet leaf, Hindi : Patha, Padh, Akanadi, Sanskrit : Ambashtaki, Urdu : Patha, Punjabi : Patha, Gujrati : Kalipath, Karondhium, Karondium, Venivel, Karedhium, Assamese : Tuprilata, Bengali : Akanadi,Patha, Kannada : Pahadavela, Agalushunthi, Kashmiri : Pad, Malayalam : Patha, Marathi : Pashadvel, Paharrel, Pahadavel, Padali, Oriya : Kanabindhi, Patha, Tamil : Vatta tiruppi, Telugu : Adivibankatiga, chiru boddi, Boddi tiga.

Part Used :- Whole Plant.

Description :- This species is globally distributed in the Pantropics. Within India, it is distributed, common in warm and dry regions of tropical and sub-tropical regions in the Himalayas. Patha glabrous to softy pubescent, perennial climbing shrub with nodose stem ascending up to an altitude of 2000 m. Roots, cylindrical, often tortuous, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, light brown to yellowish in colour, surface rough and at places rugged due to transverse wrinkles, cracks and fissures, fracture short and splintery, odour, faint aromatic, taste, bitter.

Phytoconstituents :- Main chemical constituents of patha are Alkaloids, saponin and quarternary ammonium bases, flavonol and sterol. It also contains Hayatin, Hayatinin, Menismine, Cissampareine, Cissamine, Pareirine, Cycleanine, Bebeerine and quercitol .

Ayurvedic Properties :- Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Guna : Laghu, Tiksna, Vipaka : Katu, Virya : Usna, Karma : Bhagnasandhanakrt, Grahi, Raktasodhaka, Visaghna, Tridosasamana, Stanyasodhana.

Ayurvedic Applications :- Sularoga, Atisara, Chardi, Jvara, Kandu, Kustha, Stanyadusti.

Medicinal Uses :- It is used for digestion problems including diarrhoea, dysentery, colic, upset stomach, and stomach ache; for respiratory tract infections, colds, cough, bronchitis, and asthma and skin diseases  including acne, wounds, boils, burns, sores, itching, eye infections, fever, vomiting, erysipelas, urinary tract problems including bladder, kidney infections, liver disorders. It is also used for the treatment of dog bites, snake bites, chills, cholera, convulsions, delirium, diabetes, fluid retention, bleeding (hemorrhage), high blood pressure, jaundice, malaria, rabies, arthritis, rheumatism, toothaches,  sexually transmitted diseases, menstrual problems, improve fertility and vaginal discharges (leukorrhea).