(L.) Medik.Synonym: Saponaria vaccaria L.Family: Caryophyllaceae.
Habitat: Throughout India, as a weed.
English: Soapwort, Cow Herb.Folk: Musna, Saabuni.Action: Roots—used for cough, asthma and other respiratory disorders; for jaundice, liver and spleen diseases (increases bile flow). Mucilaginous sap—used in scabies.
Saponins of the root showed haemo- lytic activity. Lanostenol, stigmas- terol, beta-sitosterol and diosgenin have been isolated from the plant. Xanthones, vaccaxanthone and sapx- anthone, and a oligosaccharide, vac- carose, have also been isolated.
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