Plumbago zeylanica L.
Common Name: Ceylon leadwort
Family: Plumbaginaceae
Vernacular Names: Vaellakoduveli – Malayalam., Kodivaeli – Tamil., Chitra – Hindi., Chitraka – Sanskrit
Synonyms: Findlaya alba Bowdich., Molubda scandens (l.) Raf., Plumbagidium scandens (l.) Spach., Plumbago scandens L.
Plant Description: Plumbago zeylanica is a herbaceous plant with glabrous stems that are climbing, prostrate or sessile and have ovate, lance-elliptic or spatulate to oblanceolate blades that measure 5 – 9 x2.5 – 4 cm in length. Bases are attenuate while apexes are acute, acuminate or obtuse. Inflorescences are 3 – 15 cm in length and have glandular viscid rachises. Bracts are lanceolate and 3 – 7 x 1 – 2 mm long.The heterostylous flowers have white corollas 17 – 33 mm in diameter and tubes 12.5 – 28 mm in length. Capsules are 7.5 – 8mm long and contain reddish brown to dark brown seeds.
Distribution and Habitat: It grows throughout the tropical and sub-tropical climates of the world including Australia and India. It grows in the understorey of monsoon forests and vine thickets from sea level to 900 m.
Uses:
Traditional medicine: Early folk medicine used the crushed plant internally and externally as an abortifacient. In Ayurveda, P. zeylanica is known as chitrak, meaning “the spotted one”. It is used with other herbs to lessen its intense pungency. It is also used to treat a variety of sideases including ulcers, leprosy, cancer, diabetes and tuberculosis.
Pharmacological uses: It has many pharmacological activities including anti-inglammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-cancer and antioxidant.
Plytochemicals: P. zeylanica contains many phytochemicals including plumbagin, which is its most important phytochemical
Economic Benefits: It can be used in agricultural and environmental research to monitor plant health, detect diseases and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
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