Cleome viscosa L.

DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY
MEDICINAL PLANTS

Cleome viscosa L.L.

Common Name: wild or dog mustard.
Family: Capparidaceae
Genus: Cleome
Species: viscosa
Malayalam Name: Vela
Tamil Name: Manja-kadugu, Nai-kadagu, and Naivelai:
Plant Description: Stem is cylindrical and covered in glandular hairs
Leaves: Palmately compound with 3–6 leaflets, alternately arranged on the stem. Leaflets are hairy, oblong to obovate, 1–3 cm long, and 0.5–1.5 cm wide.
Inflorescence: Elongated terminal and leafy raceme. Flowers are solitary in leaf axils.
Flowers: Yellow, narrowly obovate, and 2.5–8 mm long.
Fruit: Cylindrical, hairy pod, narrowed at both ends, up to 9 cm long.
Uses:
It has been used traditionally in Indian and Chinese medicine for a variety of ailments, including: rheumatic arthritis, hypertension, malaria, neurasthenia, snakebite, diarrhea, fever, inflammation, liver diseases, and bronchitis.
It has pharmacological properties such as analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, anthelmintic, antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and psychopharmacological.
Cleome viscosa seed powder is a rich source of proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and other organic compounds.