English name Trailing eclipta.
Sanskrit names Bhringa, Bhringaraja, Kesaraja, Kayyonni, Markava,Tekarajah.
Syn Eclipta prostrate,Wedelia calendulacea (L.)
Vernacular names
Arabic Kadimulvint
Assami Kehoraji
Bengali Bhringaraj, Keshurti, Kesuria, Keshurey, Bhimraj
Gujrati Bhengra
Hindi Babri, Bhangra, Mocakand, Safed bhannra
Kannda Garga
Malyalam Kannunni, Kaiyanni, Kayyonni
Marathi Maka
Orissi Kesarda
Tamil Garuga, Kaikesi, Karipan, Kayyantakara
Telagu Galagara, Guntagalyeru.
Distribution All over the world, as a weed.
Physical Structure
Eclipta alba is commonly refer as 'King of Hair' because it is widely use for colouring of hair and hair growth. It is annual multi branched, strigose, erect or prostrate plant. E. alba salivate in abundance in rainy session and mostly found nearby moist places. Height of the plant is 1 to 2 feet. Branches are green, black and bright in colour. Leaves are 1 to 3 inch long and 0.5 to 1 inch in width, fibrous and pigeon pea like. Seeds are lengthy, small and black coloured. About 20 seeds are found in one fruit. Flowers are three types white, yellow and black but white flowered plant is found widely and commonly.
Chemical Contents
Gum, resin, Odorous liquid and basic element ackliptin. In leaf stigma sterol, a-terthienyl methanol, wedelolactone, de-Me-wedelolactone and small amount of 2-formyl-terthienyl are found.
Properties
Eclipta alba is bitter in taste, hot, wormicide, nematicidal, haemostatic, increase eye sight, remove disease related with liver, spleen, skin and heart, affects intelligence and memory, cures bile (pitta) disorders. It is also helpful to remove white leprosy, cough and asthma. It is use abundantly in hair growth. E. alba increases age and a good blood purifier, protective against hepatotoxic action of carbon tetrachloride in female guinea pigs and also curative of infective hepatitis.
Cultivation
It can be grown in any type of soil but it prefers red loamy soil, with little moisture. Cultivate E. alba in kitchen garden by mixing two part sand, one part red soil, and one part cow dung (dry) and make a bed after that sow seeds in prepared bed and moisten soil regularly.
A list of Disease cured by Different Parts of Eclipta alba
Whole plant In hepatic problems, spleen troubles, itching, against antifertility, asthma, bronchitis, leucoderma, jaundice, spleen disorders, liver complaints, toothache, headache and migraine, gland swelling, elephantiasis.
Leaf Gastric troubles, remove intestinal worms, chronic dysentery, hepatic disorders, as antidote to scorpion sting, conjunctivitis and other eye problems, promoting hair growth, malaria and other fevers, jaundice, sores, ulcers, wounds, spleen disorders, as antiseptic, leucoderma, skin diseases, malaria, remove lice, blacken skin, pyorrhoea, oedema, nervous weakness, anorexia, beneficial in body inflammation, uterine bleeding.
Stem-decoction In liver enlargement.
Leaf-extract In fever and cough, on wounds, myocardial depressant, hypotensive, cures shoulder pain caused by heavy load.
Root In ulcers and wounds, as antidote to snake bite.
Flower bud In fever, headache, and migraine.
Gum resin (from herb) Anti cancerous against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma.
Medicinal Uses
Mix E. alba, Withania somnifera and Emblica myrobalan in equal quantity and take 2 gram of this powder in the morning and in the evening each.
Taking 1 tea spoon of E. alba leaf extract in both morning and evening is beneficial in jaundice and fever.
Mix root powder with salt it relieves in burning urine sensation.
Mix root powder with a little oil and applied to the head, the herb relieves headache.
E. alba increase digestion by ending acidity.
Instil E. alba extract mixed with goat’s milk drop by drop in ear during migraine.
In pain take 1-2 gram E. alba powder with water two times in a day.
Beneficial in eczema if take E. alba extract and turmeric regularly.
Fumigation with E. alba is considered to bring about relief in piles.
Take plant-decoction with paste of black pepper in fever.
Drinking juice of the plant strengthens the body and secures the foetus in womb.
Tribals use juice of leaves for tattooing purpose.
Take leaves extract and mixed with honey it should be given to infants for the expulsion of worms. E. alba is also given to children in case of urinary tract infections.
The leaves of the plants could be cooked and used as a vegetable (Kunkel1984).
The roots are emetic and purgative and they are applied externally as an antiseptic for ulcers and wounds, especially in cattle.
Results From Different Research Studies On E. alba
Analgesic
Results from the study in albino mice showed that both the ethanol extract as well as the total alkaloids produce good analgesic activity in all the different models of analgesia used.
Anti-Cancer Activity
The plant E. alba was tested for its anti-cancer activity using in-vitro screening methods. Finally, it is evident that methanolic extract of E. alba has shown anti-cancer activity.
Antidepressant
In one study E. alba leaf extract showed that it possess antidepressant effect in animal with depression.
Antioxidant Activity
Methanol extract of E. alba has the significant reaction in antioxidant activity. The best antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging.
Clinical Trial
Results of uncontrolled or observational clinical trial studies indicate:
Blood pressure Decrease has occurred by 15% in unhealthy persons using E. alba
Cholesterol A decrease in total cholesterol has been noted by using E. alba as a supplement.
Hypertension 24% LDL-C decrease have been noted with E. alba in hypertensive persons.
Urine Volume has been increased by 34%.
Diuretic effects
E. alba have diuretic effects, and has been confirmed in humans at 3g of the leaves daily.
Hair Color
A study related with use as hair color against synthetic hair dye showed that E. alba to be used in hair color cosmetic because it gives the beautiful and long lasting hair colour without causing hair damage and there is no harmful effect for hair and skin.
Immunostimulator
A methanolic extract of E. alba may proliferate B-cell count as well as increase macrophage activity.
Nutritive Value and Antimicrobial Activity
Result occurred from the study indicates that E. alba has a high nutritive value and the ethyl acetate extract of the plant possesses broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Hence this study justifies the use of the plant in medicine and encourages its use in diet as an alternative food for human health benefit.
Pain killer
200mg/kg of ethanolic extract of E. alba is effective as Aspirin in rats (32mg/kg) in one study and 500mg/kg of the ethanolic extract is more potent in rats (80mg/kg).
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