Description of Curculigo Orchioides:
It is a perennial shrub having short or elongated fleshy roots. Leaves are 6 to 18 inch in length and ½ to 1 ½ inch broad. It is speared shaped and bears stripes on it. The apex of the leaves is rooting. Flowers present the racemes presentation that is 1 inch in length. Flowers are ½ to 2/3 inch in diameter, shiny and are just above the ground. . Fruit is ½ inch in length, capsulated, ovate in shape, sharp at the apex and contains 1 to 4 seeds in it. Seeds are shiny, oblong in shape, 1/8 inch long, striped and sharp at the apex and base. Rhizome is 1 feet in length and is pulpy. The plant flowers in summers.
Principle constituent:
It contains starch 43.48 %, tannins 4.15 %, enzymes 14.18 % and ash 8.6 %. Besides these it also contains glycoside, orcinol-1-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1–>6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, curculigoside, syringic acid, curculigoside and curculigoside
Medicinal Uses:
In Ayurveda, root is heating, aphrodisiac, fatigue, alternative, fattening and useful in treatment of piles, appetizer, blood related disorders etc.
According to Unani system of medicine, root is carminative, tonic, aphrodisiac, antipyretic and useful in bronchitis, ophthalmia, indigestion, vomiting, diarrhoea, lumbago, gonorrhea, gleet, hydrophobia, joint pains etc. Used in case of hypertension among women at late ages and chronic arthritis. Also used as tonic.
