Carissa carandas Health Dictionary

Linn. var. congesta (Wt.) Bedd.

Family: Apocynaceae.

Habitat: Throughout India.

English: Christ's Thorn, Bengal Currant.

Ayurvedic: Karinkaara, Karamarda, Krishnapaakphal, Kshirphena, Sushena, (Karamardakaa is equated with C. spinarum Linn.)

Unani: Karondaa.

Siddha/Tamil: Kalakke.

Action: Used for acidity, flatulence, poor digestion, as a slimming diet. Juice of the fresh plant is used for infected wounds that refuse to heal. Root—paste used for diabetic ulcer.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicated the stem bark in obstinate skin diseases, and the root in urinary disorders.

Alcoholic extract of roots exhibit hypotensive activity. Roots yield car- dioactive compounds; cardiotonic activity is due to glucoside of odoroside H. Fresh fruits are rich in ascorbic acid (105 g/100 g fruit juice). The seeds are rich in potassium (360 mg/100 g fresh matter).

Dosage: Stem bark—48 g for decoction. (API Vol. II); root— 1-3 g (API Vol. III).