Botanical Name: Delphinium denudatum Wall.

Family: Ranunculaceae

 

 Introduction:

Latin name : Delphinium = Dolphin - resemblance to the spur on the dolphin head; denudatum nude, unclothed.

 Delphinium, common name for any of about 250 species of annual and perennial flowering plants of the buttercup family. Delphiniums are native to the northern hemisphere worldwide. The flowers, which grow on spikes, are usually blue or lavender, but white, red, and yellow species exist. The flower consists of five large sepals with four to six spurred petals at the center. The leaves are deeply divided. Some species grow to 2.5 m (8 ft) or higher. Many varieties have been developed as garden flowers. In the wild, some species contain poisonous alkaloids such as aconitine (see Aconite) that can cause severe illness or even death in grazing animals. Delphiniums are also called larkspurs, but the garden larkspur belongs in another genus.

Scientific classification: Delphiniums make up the genus Delphinium of the family Ranunculaceae.

 

 

Names in different Indian languages

 

English

Larkspur

Hindi

Nirbisi, jadvar

Kannada

Nirvasi

Malayalam

Nirvasi

Sanskrit

Nirvisha

Tamil

Nirbasi

Telugu

Nirvisi

Unani

Jadwaar Khataai,

Maatiryaaq.

Folk

 

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Nirvisha, Upavisha, Vishaha, Vishahantrika, Vivisha,Vtshabhava, Avisha, Vishavairini.

 Delphinium pauciflorum Royle.

Classification according to Charaka, Susrutha & Vagbhata

 

Charaka

 

Susrutha

 

Vagbhata

 

 

          
        

  

 

Varieties & adulterants - (CV – controversy, AD – adulterants) 

 

Substitute  for aconite.

 


Morphology

An annual her, grows 50-80 cm height

Leaves – pinnately lobed, finely divided into base, entire

Flower – blue

Fruit – follicle

 


Distribution & Habitat

The temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Kumaon

 

Chemical constituents:

 campesterol, stigmasterol, sitosterol, cholesterol, deltaavenasterol , denudatine, denudatidine, condelphine, talatizidine ,iso-talatizidine

 

Properties:

Guna : laghu, ruksha;

Rasa : tikta;

Virya : ushna;

Vipaka: katu

Doshatridoshashamak.

 

 

Karma -

Vishaghna, hridya, vranahara, nidrakari, arogyakari, balya,, agnidepakari

astringent, vulnerary, deobstruent, nervine tonic

 

 

Srotogamitva:

 Dosha : Kaphaghna, vataghna.

Dhatu: Raktagami, mansavardhak.

Mala : Malashodhani.

Organ : Heart.

 

 

 Indication:

Visha, kusta, kasa

fever, skin disease, cough, piles, leucorrhoea, vomiting, dysentery, gout, burning sensation, dyspepsia, cephalgia, worm infection

 

Part used:

  Whole plant

 

Dosage: 

Leaf juice 10-15 ml

Powder 2-4 g

Decoction 50-100 ml

 

 

 

Uses : Local application of nirvisha is the best antidote in poisoning by snake, strychnine and digitalis

 

 

 

Descriptions on  Ayurveda books / Nighandu:

  

 

 

 

Medicinal plants of India ; Ayurveda

Encyclopedia of Indian Medicinal Plants/Herbs mainly using in Ayurveda with good quality pictures and information like therapeutic usage of Medicinal Plants, cultivation, morphology, habitat, flower characters, Chemical content, parts used, research works etc.

medicinal plants