Catharanthus roseus is a herb common in India. It is found in many parts of the tropical world, like USA, Australia, Africa and southeast Asia.
This plant is a member of Apocynaceae plant family.
This is a perennial under shrub, it grows to a height of about 24 cm. The bark is cinnamon brown in color. The leaves are glabrous. The flowers are white or pink, solitary or germinate, axillary. The follicles are paired or narrowly linear, longitudinally ribbed and shortly beaked. The seeds are black, cylindric and ribbed. The flowering season is through out the year.
Usage:
In Ayurveda the leaves,the seeds, the flowers and the roots are used for treatment of leukemia, diabetes, menorrhagia.
chemicals Obtained:
Taubasin and Serpentine from the root. Vincristine and vinblastin from the leaves.
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Gujarati: Baarmaasi
Marathi: Sadafuli
Bengali: Nayantara
Malayalam: Shavam Naari
