Aerva lanata, the mountain knotgrass is a woody, prostrate or succulent, perennial herb in the family Amaranthaceae, native to Asia, Africa.Scientifi Name:Bergenia ciliate/Bergenia ligulata. Aerva lanata is a common weed which grows wild everywhere in the plains of India. The root has a camphor-like aroma. The dried flowers which look like soft spikes, are sold under the commercial names Buikallan and Boor. It is one of the plants included in Dasapushpam, the ten sacred flowers of Kerala.
Mountain knotgrass is an annual with a branching, somewhat woody root system. The stems are mostly straggling and sprawling and spread widely, sometimes as much as 6 feet (1.8 m) in length. The often stalkless leaves are alternate, oval and 0.5 to 1.5 in (13 to 38 mm) long. They grow from whitish papery stipules with two lobes and red bases. The tiny clusters of two or three flowers grow in the leaf axils. The flowers are about 0.1 in (2.5 mm) long, pink, green or dull white. The flowers are normally self-pollinated. Flowering time is from May to October.
Aerva lanata is native to tropical Africa, South Africa, Madagascar, Saudi Arabia and tropical Asia. The species prefers damper sites than Aerva javanica and can be found in open forests on mountain slopes, on waste and disturbed ground, deserted cultivation and coastal scrub and at altitudes from sea level to 900 m (3,000 ft). It is a common weed in arable fields and bare patches of ground.
Aerva lanata (Bergenia ciliate/ ligulata) is a marvelous creation of God that helps us in curing many diseases. In Ayurveda, it is use as a litholytic agent for urinary calculi and other renal disorders. Nevertheless, it having many other magical effects in the body and most of them are not commonly known to us.
• In Sanskrit Pashanabheda, means ‘Who Grows Up By Breaking Stones’ and interestingly it is also used in curing renal stones by breaking them.
• Bergenia ciliata is an evergreen plant. Throughout the year the plant remains green and shiny and ready for medicinal use for the whole year. But the concentration of alkaloids remains good in the month of winter.
• Basically Bergenia ciliate, is a native of central Asia. In India, it is mostly found in Himalayas and Khasia Hills of Meghalaya.
• The plant can survive in extreme conditions even in stones without any contact of soils.
• The Leaves can also produce new plants is come contact with any suitable climate.
• If you left a leaf of this plant in the middle of you text book for couple of weeks, then you can see few new generation of this plant starts to grown up even inside of your book.
• There are hundreds of preparations in the market for the renal stone but almost all preparation contains Bergenia ciliata.
* Chemical Compositions of Aerva lanata :
1. Bergeninalias cuscutin is trihydroxybenzoic acid glycoside, It possesses O-demethylated derivative, so called norbergenin. It has some extraordinary effects in boosting immunity.
2. β-sitosterol, is a plant sterol. It is an analgesic component. It increases the pain tolerance by 300%. It is structurally similar to cholesterol. They are hydrophobic and alcohols soluble.
3. β-sitosterol-D-glucoside, is basically a having some analgesic effects. By using this 157% pain tolerance increases in our body. Whereas Mefenamic Acid, an established modern drug increases the tolerance by 171%.
4. Leucocyanidin, is a chemical used for the treatment of many diseases. It having antiepileptic, anticonvulsant, anesthetics, antiasthmatic effects.
5. Gallic acid, a type of phenolic acid or a kind of Organic acid. It is also known as ‘gallates”. It is found in many plants. Mainly it is used in ink industry and pharma industry.
6. Methyl gallate, is one of the most well-known antioxidant in the market. It reduces the oxidative stress. It reduces the aging process.
7. Catechin, it is a chemical that effects on the BMI. Most commonly found in green tea. It is helpful in obesity as it reduces the extra facts. Mostly the subcutaneous facts reduce for its presence in the blood.
8. Mucilage, it is nothing but a common thick, gluey substance, which is present in most of the plants. Plants use this as food storage agent. It is useful in gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders.
☆ Aerva lanata Medicinal Uses:
1. It acts as a very good diuretic. It can be used for many diseases like cardiac asthma, renal failure etc.
2. Breaks and re-breaks the kidney stones and that is it is the drug of choice for most of the Ayurvedic Doctors.
3. It works as very liver protective agent and commonly found in many herbal liver supportive.
4. It is widely used for the treatment of Obesity. It reduces the subcutaneous fats.
5. It is beneficial in Jaundice or Hepatitis. In classical or Homely ntreatment, it is use widely.
6. It acts as a very good anti-oxidant and often found in many herbal or semi herbal compositions of many drugs.
7. It has anti-aging ability and that can help us in keeping our selves fresh and energetic.
8. It is good for general diseases of genital area and often use in homely medications.
9. It acts as very good renal tissue protective agent.
10. It is useful as an antidote in opium poisoning.
11. It helps in breakdown of renal stonesand it is the specialist for this purpose.
12. It is helpful in hydronephrosis and keeps the kidneys safe.
13. It is helpful in UTI and that is why it is commonly found in most of the herbal preparations dedicated to UTI.
14. It is expectorant and used as home remedy.
15. It is antipyretic and used for the home remedy of simple uncomplicated fever cases.
16. It is anti-haemorrhoidal and thus helps in preventing the complications of piles.
17. It is helpful in chronic renal diseases.
18. It works as antimicrobial agent.
19. It helps in controlling of diarrhea,
20. It helps in controlling of dysentery,
21. It helps in controlling of heart diseases, like cardiac asthma.
22. It helps in controlling of splenic disorders.
23. It helps in controlling diabetesand reduces the chances of diabetic renal diseases.
☆ Aerva lanata Side Effects:
1. It is a safe herb.
2. No side effects noted within recommend dosages.
