Lajjalu

Botanical Name

Mimosa pudica L.

Family

Fabaceae/Leguminoceae

Synonyms

Mimosa hispidula Kunth, Mimosa pudica var. pudica, Mimosa pudica var. tetrandra (Willd.) DC., Mimosa pudica var. unijuga (Duchass. &Walp.) Griseb.

Regional Name

English : Touch-me-not, Hindi :Chhuimui, Lajauni, Lajwanti,  Sanskrit :Samanga, Varakranta, Namaskari, Urdu :Chhuimui, Punjabi :Lajan, Assamese :Lajubilata, Adamalati, Bengali :Lajaka, Lajjavanti, Gujrati :Risamani, Lajavanti, Lajamani, Kannada :Muttidasenui,, Machikegida, Lajjavati, Malayalam :ThottaVati, Marathi :Lajalu, Oriya :Lajakuri, Tamil :Thottavadi, Tottalchurungi, Telugu :Mudugudamara. Part Used Whole Plant.

Description

Lajjalu is a short lived evergreen herb that can be treated as an annual plant. Lajjalu is native to South America and Central America. It can also be found in Asia in different countries such as Thailand, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan, and Jamaica. Lajjalu is a diffused undershrub, sensitive to touch, 25-50 cm high, found nearly thought hotter and moist regions of the country.The seeds are compressed, oval-elliptic, brown to grey, 0.3 long, 2.5 mm broad having a central ring on each face.

Phytoconstituents

The main constituent of lajjalu is Alkaloids. It contains various compounds, including “alkaloids, flavonoid C-glycosides, sterols, terpenoids, tannins, and fatty acids”

Medicinal Uses

It is used in wound healing, bleeding piles, Ulcers, Infertility, Diarrhoea, Inflammation, Diabetes, Urinary Disorders, Bacterial infections, Viral infections, Fungal infections, and very effective in protecting the liver from toxicity.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa :Tikta, Kasaya, Guna :Laghu, Ruksa, Virya :Sita, Vipaka :Katu, Karma :Grahi, Kaphahara, Pittahara  Ayurvedic Applications Sopha, Atisara, Daha, Svasa, Kustha, Vrana, Raktapita, Yoniroga.