Cultivation Trials, Pharmacognosy and Ethnobotanical Investigations of Plumbago zeylanica L. (Chitraka) of the Indian System of Medicine

Abstract

Plumbago zeylanica L. (Plumbaginaceae) is one of the best known drug-plants, known in Sanskrit as Agnimata or Chitraka. Krishnavartma, Shushma or Vanhinama in the Ayurvedic system of Medicine. The drug is administered internally in various clinical conditions, such as piles, pain, inflammation and various digestive disturbances.

The plants have been brought into cultivation in Gauhati. It is found that growth is luxuriant and quite suitable for commercial exploitation.

The present paper records for the first time the cultivation technique, ethnobotanical evaluation, and pharmacognostical constants. Effects of various types of soils, fertilizers and phytohormones on flowering and leafing periods of the plant have been recorded.

The data of preliminary phytochemical studies of the roots are presented in this paper.