Cocculus hirsutus Health Dictionary

(Linn.) Diels.

Synonym: C. villosus (Lam.) DC.

Family: Menispermaceae.

Habitat: Throughout tropical and sub-tropical tracts of India.

English: Broom-Creeper, Ink-Berry.

Ayurvedic: Chhilihinta, Paataala- garuda, Mahaamuulaa, Dirghavalli, Jalajamani.

Siddha/Tamil: Kattukodi.

Action: Root—laxative, sudorific, alterative, antirheumatic. Leaf— used externally for eczema, prurigo and inpetigo. A decoction of leaves is taken in eczema, leucorrhoea and gonorrhoea.

Aqueous extract of stem and root— sedative, anticonvulsant, hypotensive, bradycardiac, cardiotonic and sapas- molytic. Roots are used as a substitute for Sarsaparilla in chronic rheumatism gout, and syphilitic cachexia.

The stem contains cyclopeptide alkaloids. The plant contains coclaurine, magnoflorine, beta-sitosterol, ginnol and a monomethyl ether of inositol.

C.pendulus (Forsk.) Diels, synonym C. leaeba (Del.) DC. (Punjab, Gujarat and South India) is known as Parwati (Gujarat, Sindh) and Ullar-billar (Punjab).

Ethanolic extract of the leaves and stem showed anticancer and hypoten- sive activities associated with the al- kaloidal fraction which contains bis- benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (including pendulin and cocsulin). Presence of quercitol is reported from non- alkaloidal fraction.

Dosage: Root—50-100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)