Abroma augusta Jacq.
Synonym Ambroma augusta Linn. f.
Family Sterculiaceae.
English Names: Perennial Indian Hemp, Devil’s Cotton.
Ayurvedic Names: Pishaacha Kaarpaasa, Pivari.
Unani Names: Ulat-kambal.
Siddha/Tamil Names: Sivapputtuti. Folk Kumal, Sanukapaasi.
Morphology
Devil's Cotton is a large spreading shrub, or a small tree, with fibrous bark and irritant hairs. It grows up to 2.5 m tall with hairy branches. Leaves are ovate-oblong long-pointed, with a heart-shaped base, 10-21 cm long, 5.5-13 cm wide. Leaf blade is 3-7 nerved, with margins unevenly toothed. Flowers are maroon, up to 5 cm across, looking down, in few-flowered clusters in leaf axils. Sepals are lance- shaped, fused at base. Petals are 5, which soon fall off, concave below, prolonged above into a spoon-shaped blade. Capsule is papery, 5-winged, cut-off at the tip. The fibre from the bark makes a pliable and attractive rope which is used in fishing nets. Devil's Cotton is found in the Himalayas and NE India. Flowering: June-September.
Action Rootbark—emmenagogue (used for dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhoea), abortifacient, galactotrophic.
The root contains abromine (betame), friedelin, abromasterol, abromasterol A, choline, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol and octacosanol. Leaves, reported to be useful in treating uterine
disorders, contain taraxerol, its acetate and lupeol.
Dosage Leaf juice—l0—20 ml.
note : Image Courtesy to wikipedia commons
