Cissampelos pareira L.

Cissampelos pareira L.

Common Name: velvet leaf, Paadakkizhangu
Family –Menispermaceae
Genus: Cissampelos
Species: pareira
Malayalam Name: Kattuvalli
Tamil Name: Vatta-t-tiruppi, Appatta:
Plant Description:
It is a slender tomentose climber. The leaves are peltate, base cordate or truncate, ± tomentose on both sides; petiole pubescent. Flowers are small in size, pedicels filiform. Male flowers clustered in the axil of a small leaf; sepals are 4 in number, obovate-oblong, hairy outside; petals 4 in number, united to form a 4-toothed cup, hairy outside; stamens 4, column short, anthers connate, encircling the top of the column. Female flowers clustered in the axils of orbicular, hoary imbricate bracts, on 5–10 cm long racemes; sepal 1, petal 1; carpel 1, densely hairy; style shortly 3-fid.
Uses:
It has been extensively used in the traditional medicinal system since the ancient time for the treatment of numerous diseases such as ulcer, wound, rheumatism, fever, asthma, cholera, diarrhoea, inflammation, snakebite, malaria, rabies, and also recommended for blood purification.