Vernonia cinerea, Sahadevi

Ironweed, Purple Fleabane, Ash-colored Fleabane, Ash Fleabane
Sahadevi (Ayurveda)
Naichotte Poonde (Siddha)
Yi Zhi Xiang 一枝香 (TCM)

Vernonia cinerea
M. Blanco, Flora de Filipinas., ed. 3 (1875)

Vernonia cinerea
(Photo by J.M.Garg) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:

Vernonia cinerea (syn. Cyanthillium cinereum)

Parts used:

Root (Rhizome); Herb (leaf)

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, dry. Pungent, Bitter

Uses:

1. Clears Wind-Heat, Resists Poison: (Ayurveda, TCM)
-Fever, Intermittent Fever, Cold, Influenza (whole plant)
-Viral infections with Toxicity
-acute Cough, Asthma (Ayurveda, TCM)
-acute sore throat (Ayurveda, TCM)
-Red, sore, swollen eyes, Conjunctivitis
-Sores, Boils, Pustular Eruptions, Skin ulcers
-chronic skin diseases including Psoriasis, Leucoderma, Pityriasis Versicolor, Leprosy (root, leaf internally, paste of root topically)

2. Clears Heat and Damp: (Ayurveda, TCM)
-Urinary tract infections, Burning Urine, Gravel, Stones
-Dysentery (Herb, TCM)
-Gastric Ulcers, Stomach pain, Diarrhea
-Jaundice

3. Clears Heat, Settles Wind, Calms the Mind: (Ayurveda)
-Restlessness, Mania, Insanity
-Promotes sleep (applied to the head, taken internally)
-used as a tea when quitting smoking to negate withdrawal symptoms (Thailand)

4. Strengthens the Kidneys: (Ayurveda)
-Arthritis
-Back Pain
-Urinary incontinence
-Diabetes, Hyperglycemia
-improves Sperm quality and quantity

5. Regulates Menstruation: (Ayurveda)
-Amenorrhea
-Irregular Menstruation

6. Kills Worms: (Ayurveda)
-Intestinal Worms; Roundworm, Threadworm (Seed)
-Filariasis (Root decoction)
-seed decoction as a wash for Head Lice
-leaf poultice is applied to Guinea Worm

7. Externally:
-paste applied to wounds
-seed decoction topically as a wash for Head Lice
-topically to Leprosy, Elephantiasis, Leucoderma (root paste topically)
-promotes hair growth, baldness, premature greying
-root paste is applied to the scalp to promote sleep
-gargle for Sore Throat and Tonsillitis

Dose:

Root Decoction (1 in 10): 25–50mls (to 60mls or more)
Whole Herbn in Decoction: 6–30 grams (TCM)
Infusion of the whole plant (1 in 10): half–1 fluid ounce
An infusion of the leaf and/or flower is prepared using a heaped teaspoonful of the dried herb; or double the fresh herb.
Flower Powder: 500mg–2 grams
Powder of the Whole Plant: 10–20 grams (for Filariasis)

Main Combinations:

1. Chronic Fever, Vernonia cinerea with Cyperus rotundus, Ficus benghalensis
2. Acute Sore Throat, Vernonia cinerea with Isatis folium Da Qing Ye
3. Conjunctivitis, Vernonia cinerea with Long Dan Xie Gan Tang (a formula)
3. Filariasis, Vernonia cinerea (10–20 grams), Cardamon (5-7), in half a glass of milk, with sugar candy added (taken every morning for 3 months)
4. Stones, Vernonia cinerea, Saxifraga ligulata root, Madder, Shilajit

Major Formulas:

Cautions:

None noted