DC.Synonym: S. acmella auct. non (L.) Murr.S. paniculata auct. non-DC. S. pseudoacmella auct. non (L.) Murr.Family: Asteraceae.
Habitat: Tropical and sub-tropical parts of India, in waste places and open moist fields.
English: Paracress.Ayurvedic: Marahattikaa.Folk: Marethi, Desi Akarkaraa.Action: Plant—antidysenteric. Decoction, diuretic and lithotriptic, also used in scabies and psoriasis. Seeds—used in xerostomia, throat infections and neurological affection of tongue. Root—purgative.
Whole plant gave alpha-and beta- amyrin ester, myricyl alcohol, stigmas- terol and its glucoside. A tincture made from flower heads is used as a substitute for the tincture of pyrethrum to treat inflammation of jaw-bones and caries.Ethanolic extracts of the herb were found to affect the blood pressure of dogs and cats, and also the isolated ileum of guinea pigs. Spilanthol, obtained from the ether as well as pen- tane extracts, shows a strong sialogogic action, acts as a local anaesthetic and a powerful insecticide.
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