Leonotis, Granthiparni

Lion’s Ear, Christmas Candlestick
Granthiparni (Ayurveda)
Then Thumbai (Siddha)
Picture Leonotis nepetifolia
Botanical Register, vol. 4: (1818)

Picture Leonotis nepetifolia in Peru
(Wonderful Photo by Cbrescia) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Leonotis nepetifolia

Parts used:


Primarily Root (API); Herb (leaf); Flower

Temperature & Taste:


Warm, dry. Bitter, Pungent

Uses:


1. Relieves Wind, Resists Poison:
-Fever; Intermittent Fever (leaf decoction); also used in convalescence after acute fever
-Cold, Influenza
-Itching; Eczema, Ringworm (ashes of flowers topically; herb internally)
-Leprosy, Elephantiasis
-Syphilis, Malaria (leaf juice)
-Recently demonstrated anti-cancer activity
-Poisoning

2. Settles Wind, Stops Spasms:
-Asthma, Dyspnoea
-demonstrated anti-convulsant and anti-hypertensive activity

3. Clears Wind-Damp, Relieves Pain:
-Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatism with moving pain

4. Stops Bleeding, Promotes Menstruation:
-excessive menstrual bleeding
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea; has a regulatory effect on menstruation
-also for Morning Sickness (root)
-flowers tops have been used as an emmenagogue
-applied to wounds to stop bleeding

5. Used for Diabetes:
-recently found effective for Diabetes
-also for Night blindness

6. Externally:
-burns, scalds (herb, seed, flower)
-applied to wounds to stop bleeding
-Itching, Eczema, Ringworm; ashes of flower heads applied with curd
-Syphilitic Ulcers
-Paralysis, Rheumatism (ash, paste or leaf steam)
-applied to swollen sore breasts and other swellings (root or leaf paste or flower ash)
-Scorpion bite


Dose:


Root: 5–10 grams in Powder (API)
Herb Decoction (1 in 10): half–1 fluid dram

Main Combinations:


1. Night blindness, flower juice with sugar
2. Flower ash mixed with mustard oil and applied to breast swellings from obstructed milk.

Major Formulas:


Brihat Guduchi taila
Himasagar taila
Nakula taila
Mritasanjivani sur

Cautions:


None noted

Main Preparations used:


Ash
  • Extra Info
  • Research
1. PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF LEONOTIS NEPETIFOLIA (L) R.BR – A SHORT REVIEW
2. Pooja Rohilla, Raghavendra Naik and RN Acharya. Single herbal remedies for Sandhivata (Osteoarthritis): A review on evidence based researches in Dravyaguna department of IPGT & RA, Jamnagar. 2016; 4(5): 97-101.