Cuscuta is easily identifiable green-yellow coloured, leafless, parasitic twining stem which tangles on the host plant with it countless branches and draws its nutrition. It has no chlorophyll and cannot make its own food by photosynthesis. Once attached, the plants lives its entire life on host plant without any attachment to the soil. The stems and branches of cuscuta are fleshy, its flowers are small, fruits are small and contains 2-4 seeds. The flowering time is April to July. In India it is distributed throughout the country up to 3000 m.
In traditional medicinal system, whole plant of cuscuta is used for treatment of various diseases. Cuscuta plant is used for treating constipation, liver, spleen diseases, diarrhoea, inflammation etc. Cuscuta is alterative, purgative, carminative and anthelmintic. The plant also has Anti-fertility effect.
Scientific name: Cuscuta reflexa Roxb.
Family: Convolvulaceae
Plant description
Kingdom Plantae
Subkingdom tracheobionta
Superdivision spermatophyta
Division Angiospermes
Class Eudicots
Subclass Asterids
Order Solanales
Family Cuscutaceae; alternate Convolvulaceae
Genus Cuscuta
Species reflexa Roxb
Vernacular names
Tamil : Verillakothan, Akashavalli, English : Dodder Plant, Hindi : Amarabel, Sanscrit : Akasavalli,Amaravalli,Khavalli
Punjabi : Zarbut, Malayalam : Moodillathali, Urdu : Akashbel, Bengali : Akashbel
Other common names: hell weed, devil's gut, and beggar weed, strangle tare, scald weed, dodder of thyme, greater dodder, and lesser dodder.
Traditional uses of Cuscuta plant
- Enlargement of spleen, liver complaints, constipation, flatulence
Prepare decoction of Amarbel. Drink 50 ml of this once a day. - Piles (bleeding, non-bleeding)
Extract 10 ml juice of Amarbel. Mix this with 3 gram Maricha churna and take every morning. - Excessive abdominal gas
Boil the plant and tie on the abdominal region. - Itching
Apply paste of Amarbel on affected skin area. - Wound
Grind Amarbel. Mix with Sunthi and Ghee. Topically apply on affected area. - Hair fall, Dandruff
Prepare paste of cuscuta. Mix some sesame oil and apply in hairs for curing hair fall.
Crush and boil Cuscuta 50 grams in one litre water. Wash hair with this water.