Contributor: Pankaj Oudhia
Copyright (c) 2002. All Rights Reserved. Quotation from this document should cite and acknowledge the contributor.
Common (Indian) Names:
Hindi: Balari, Bhangra, Bhringraj, Bhengra, Mochkand.
Gujerati: Bhangro, Dadhal, Kalobhangro
Canarase: Ajagara, Garagadasoppu, Kadigga-garaga
Marathi: Bhangra, Maka
Sanskrit: Bhringraj, Markara, Pitripriya, Sunilaka, Keshrangana
Family: Compositae
Habitat/Occurrence: In paddy growing areas of India, it occur as common weed. In many parts of India it is grown commercially as a medicinal crop.
Related Species: Four species have been reported so far in warmer parts of America, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Botany: An annual herb.
Stem: Stems and branches are strigose and hairy.
Leaves: Opposite, sessile, oblong- lanceolate; also strigose and hairy.
Flowers: In heads, involucral bracts, axillary, ray flowers ligulate; disk ones tubular.
Fruit: Achene.
Flowering Time: October to December in Indian conditions.
Useful Parts: Whole plant.
Medicinal Properties and Uses: The herb is an Ayurveda and Yunani medicine. According to Ayurveda philosophy Eclipta is bitter, hot fattening, alterative, anthelminticum, and alexipharmic. It is useful in inflammations, hernia, eye diseases, bronchitis, asthama, leucoderma, anaemia, heart and skin diseases, right blindness, syphilis etc. It is reported as beneficial for complexion, hair, eyes, and teeth.
Popular Ayurvedic Formulations: Bhringraj ghrit, Bhringraj taiil, Bhringrajadi churana etc.
Chemical Constituents: The plant contains the alkaloid ecliptine. Other
chemicals identified are wedelolactone, wedelic acid, apigenin, luteolin, b-amyrin
etc.
Cultivation
Season: Kharif (June–July in Indian conditions)
Propagation: Through seeds
Seed Rate: 3 kg/ha
Major Insects & Diseases: No major insect and diseases have been reported in India conditions.
Manures: In India, Bhringraj is grown organically. No chemical inputs are used, only 15–20 tonnes farm yard manure/ha at the time of sowing is applied.
Maturity: 3–3.5 months after sowing.
Yield: Average yield 5 tonnes dry herbage/ha.
Resource Person:
Pankaj Oudhia
Society for Parthenium Management, (SOPAM)
28-A, College Road, Geeta Nagar
Raipur- 492001 India
E-mail: pankajoudhia@usa.net
Homepage: www.celestine-india.com/pankajoudhia
Phone : 91-771-253243
Mobile : 91-98271-15642
Fax : 91-771-536312