BHARANGI

Description

It is a small shrub, 2-4meter tall bearing opposite leaves and having woody rootstock. The plant has quadrangular, glabrous branches.
Leaves are large and ovate or oblong, usually ternate whorled, coarsely and sharply serrate, glabrous and pale beneath with six pairs of lateral nerves.
Flowers are large pinkish-white in colour and numerous appearing in May to August month. It has a stout deflexed compressed pedicel in lax, dichotomous, long terminal panicles.
It has leafy bracts and the calyx is cup shaped 5 mm long.
Corolla is pale to pinkish blue with tube about 6-7 mm long; the lower larger lip like lobe is sky blue in colour.
Stamens are long, exerted, curved and bluish. The drupes are 1-4 lobed, bluish-black and glossy

Properties:

Rasa (taste)- Katu (pungent) and Tikta (bitter)
Guna (qualities) – Laghu (lightness) and Rooksha (Dryness)
Vipaka (Undergoes taste conversion after digestion)- Katu (Pungent)
Veerya (Potency)- Ushna (Hot)
Effect on Tridosha (Action)- Balances Vata and Kapha dosha.
Karma-
Kaphapaha- works as a mucolytic that breaks down mucus and expels it out of the lungs
Gulmahara- used to treat abdominal tumors
Jvarahara- helpful in treating fever
Shwasahara- helps in treating asthma and other chronic respiratory disorders.
Vatarakta- helps to treat gout related issues
Peenasahara- treats allergic rhinitis
Chemical composition –
The leaves of Bharangi carry flavonoids namely scutellarein (0.5%), hispidulin (0.1%) and their 7-O-glucuronides; and sterols. Flowers contain triterpenoids and beta-sitosterol. Plant contains mannitol, b-sitosterol. Bark contains three triterpenoid constituents- queretaroic acid, oleonolic acid, and serratagenic acid, hexitol and sorbitol.
Benefits –
1- Respiratory Disorders
Bharangi is very helpful in chronic respiratory problems including Asthma, Bronchitis, and Tuberculosis. It acts as an expectorant, thus used in respiratory issues like cold, cough and for hoarseness of voice. It also acts as a decongestant. In case of asthma, it is given to reduce the attacks of dyspnoea. It is an excellent bronchodilator. It has mucolytic action – it breaks down phlegm, mucus and oozes extra mucous out of the body.

2- Digestive Disorders
Bharangi is an appetizer, thus useful in anorexia. It is effectively used in indigestion, intestinal gas, stomach problems, stomach infection, hiccups. It boosts overall digestive health. It is also beneficial in food poisoning. It has laxative action also.

3- Rheumatism
Bharangi is very useful in rheumatic conditions, gout and painful joints.

4- Liver Problems
Bharangi is very helpful in treating liver diseases including Jaundice.

5- Skin problems
Bharangi is a good blood purifier and beneficial to treat skin diseases, boils, herpes. It is also used in erysipelas (bacterial infection in the upper layer of the skin
Female health
Bharangi is widely used in menstrual disorders specially amenorrhea (lack of ‘periods’ (menstrual cycles)). It can also be used in cysts and uterine fibroids.

6- Other Uses
Promotes wound healing Thyroid problem, goitre
Muscular pain, muscular problem in kids Headache, migraine, cephalalgia
Eye problems like ophthalmia
As it has anti-helminthic properties, it cures worm infestations.
Oedema – Bharangi vitiates blood, eliminates the obstruction in the circulatory channels and alleviates swelling