Leptadenia, Jivanti

Cork Swallow-wort
Jivanti (Ayurveda)
Palalkkodi, Keeripalai (Siddha)
Doodhi Khurd (Unani)

Leptadenia reticulata (Official drug)
R. Wight, Icones Plantarum Indiae Orientalis, (1846)

Dendrobium plicatile (Flickingeria fimbriata)
W.J. Hooker, J.D. Hooker, Icones Plantarum (1890)

Dendrobium macraei (syn. Flickingeria macraei)
K.R. Kirtikar, B.D. Basu, Indian medicinal plants, (1918)

Holostemma ada-kodien
(Photo by Shantanu Kuveskar) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:

Leptadenia reticulata
According to Indian sources, the following medicines supply much of the market for Jivanti:

Dendrobium plicatile (syn. D. fimbriatum, Flickingeria fimbriata, Desmotrichum fimbriatum)
Dendrobium fimbriatum (syn. D. normale, D. paxtonii)
Dendrobium macraei (syn. Ephemerantha macraei, Flickingeria macraei) (known as Swarna Jivanti)
Holostemma ada-kodien (syn. H. annularis), H. rheedei (in South India)

Parts used:

Root; Plant juice and paste are also traditionally used.

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, moist. Sweet, astringent

Uses:

1. Nourishes Yin, Clears Heat:
-Burning Sensations
-skin diseases from Heat, especially with Yin deficiency or dryness
-Diarrhea
-Fever, especially where the Yin has been damaged; chronic low-grade fever
-Bleeding from excess Heat, or Fever that damages Yin
-Prostatitis

2. Nourishes Yin, Clears Deficient Heat:
-Wasting, Emaciation
-Phthisis, Tuberculosis
-chronic Sore Throat
-Lung Ulcers
-Thirst

3. Nourishes Essence:
-classed as strengthening and rejuvenating
-Habitual Abortion (clinically verified)
-regarded as Aphrodisiac

4. Benefits Vision
-Poor vision; failing eyesight
-Night-blindness

5. Promotes Milk:
-used to nourish and promote Milk

6. Externally:
–leaf paste is applied to Eczema, Scabies, Burning sensation etc.

Dose:

Powder: 3–6 grams

Substitutes:

1. Other Orchid species used include Pholidota articulata, Flickingeria fimbriata, F. macraei, Holostemma annularis
2. Dendrobium Shi Hu is probably a good substitute.

Main Combinations:

1. Premature Ejaculation, Spermatorrhea:
i. Leptadenia, Tribulus, Argyreia root, Parmelia perlata
2. Aphrodisiac:
i. Leptadenia, Asparagus root, Withania
ii. Leptadenia, Mucuna with Argyreia root, Withania, Pyrethrum root
iii. Leptadenia with Adenanthera pavonina, Mucuna, Argyreia speciosa, Nutmeg, Clove, Ginger, Pyrethrum
3. Rejuvenate the body and promote Longevity (Rasayana):
i. Leptadenia with Boerhaavia, Desmodium, Emblic Myrobalan, Asparagus root, Licorice (as in Braham Rasayana)
4. Prostatitis:
i. Leptadenia with Mucuna, Orchis, Astercantha longifolia, Lettuce seed, Tribulus
ii. and Prostatitic Hypertrophy, Leptadenia, Argyreia root, Orchis, Tribulus, Macuna
5. Skin diseases, Abscess, Syphilis, Leptadenia with Fumitory, Neem, China root (Smilax spp.) (as in Arq Mussafi of Unani)
6. Dryness of the skin, greying hair, Leptadenia, Cyperus rotundus, Sandalwood, Licorice, Aloeswood, in a base of Sesame oil to de inserted in the nose or applied topically. (as in Anu Taila)