Botanical Name
Blepharis edulis (Forssk.) Pers.
Family
Acanthaceae.
Synonyms
Blepharis persica (Burm.f.) Kuntze., Blepharis obovata Chiov., Acanthodium delilii H.Buek, Acanthodium spicatum Delile , Acanthus delilei Spreng.
Regional Name
Hindi : Utangan , Sanskrit : Uttingana , Urdu : Utangan , Punjabi : Uttangan , Bengali : Ucchata , Gujrati : Utingun, Chopunivel , Kannada : Utangana , Malayalam : Utigana, Utungana , Marathi : Utangan , Oriya : Utingana , Tamil : Uttanjana , Telugu : Uttangan.
Part Used
Seed.
Description
Uttangan is a shrub, occurring in Punjab. Seed occurs as entire or broken, 0.4 to 0.6 cm long, 0.3 to 0.4 cm broad; heart shaped, rough due to network of coarse hairs; cream to light yellow, flat; when soaked in water, hairs swell and produce viscid mucilage; mucilagenous on chewing.
Phytoconstituents
The main Chemical constituents are Glycosides and Tannins. The seed contains Allantonin – 2.1%, Blepharin- a glucoside, Di allantonin, Blepharigenin, B- Sitosterol and D- Glucosoil.
Ayurvedic Properties
Rasa : Madhura, Tikta, Guna : Guru, Picchila, Snigdha, Virya : Usna , Vipaka : Madhura, Karma : Vrsya, Mutrala.
Ayurvedic Applications
Mutrakrcchra, Klaibya
Medicinal Uses
Uttangan seed are used to increase the sexual vigor in males (aphrodisiac). Uttangan is applied over bleeding piles, Urinary discharges, Leucoderma, Nasal haemorrhage, wounds to control and arrest bleeding. It is used in tuberculosis, hepatitis and skin infections with sun burns and fire.