Gymnema sylvestre R. Br.Family: Asclepiadaceae
Synonyms: Periploca sylvestris Willd., Gymnema melicida Edgew.English Names: Vine, Periploca of the the Woods
Chinese: 匙羹藤, Chi geng teng
Gujarati: Kaavalee, Medhasinge
Hebrew: ג'ימנמה
Hindi: चमत्कार बेरी chamatkar beri, Gurhmar, Medhasingi, छॊटा दूधीलता chhota-dudhilata, गुढ़मार gudmar, गुरमार gurmar, मॆढ़शिंगी medhashingi,
Kannada: ಮಧುನಾಶಿನಿ madhunasini, kadhasige, sannagera, sannagerasehambu
Malayalam: ചക്കരക്കൊല്ലി, Shiru kuranja
Marathi: kavali, bedaki, bedakuli, kalikardori, kaoli
Oriya: meshasringi
Sanskrit: Meshashiringi, अजगंधिनी ajaghandini, कर्णिका karnika, kshinavartta, मधुनसिनी madhunasini
Tamil: Sirukurinchaan சிறுகுரிஞ்சான்), Amudhapushpam, Chakkarakkolli.
Telugu: పొడపత్రి podapatri
Urdu: gurmarگرمار, gurmar booti, gurmar patta
Chemical constituents: Triterpenoid saponins of gymnemic acid A, B, C and D with sugarresidues such as glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, ferulic and angelic acids attached as carboxylic acids. Several isopropylene derivatives of gymnemagenin, a hexahydroterpene, gymnemagenin, gymnemic acid. The leaves also contain betaine, choline, gymnamine alkaloids, inositol, d-quercitol. Hydrocarbons such as nonacosane, hentriacontane, tritriacontane, pentatriacontane, phytin, resin, tartaric acid, formic acid, butyric acid, amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine, valine, alanine, γ-butyric acid.
Ayurvedic uses: Sula, Sopha, Arsha, Svasa, Hrudroga, kasa, Kustha, netraroga, Prameha, Vrana, Dantakrimi, Madhumeha, Mutrakrucha, Vatahara, Daha.
It is reported to cure cough, dyspnoea, ulcers, pitta, kapha and pain in the eyes. The plant is useful in inflammations, hepatosplenomegaly, dyspepsia, constipation, jaundice, haemorrhoids, strangury, renal and vesical calculi, helminthiasis, cardiopathy, cough, asthma, bronchitis, intermittent fever, amenorrhoea, conjuctivitis and leucoderma. The fresh leaves when chewed have the remarkable property of paralysing the sense of taste for sweet and bitter substance for some time (Warrier et al, 1995). The drug is described as a destroyer of madhumeha (glycosuria) and other urinary disorders. Root has long been reputed as a remedy for snakebite. Leaves triturated and mixed with castor oil are applied to swollen glands and enlargement of internal viscera as the liver and spleen (Nadkarni, 1954). The drug is used to strengthen the function of heart, cure jaundice, piles, urinary calculi, difficult micturition and intermittent fevers.
In homoeopathy, a drug obtained from the leaves and roots is prescribed for both diabetesmellitus and insipidus Gymnemic acid is reported to inhibit melanin formation in vitro. It also inhibits dental plaque formation.
Leaf—antidiabetic. Stimulates the heart and circulatory system, activates the uterus. Used in parageusia and furunculosis. Plant—diuretic, antibilious. Root—
emetic, expectorant, astringent, stomachic.
Adenopathy, Asthma, Biliousness, Bite, Boil, Bronchosis, Cardiopathy, Conjunctivosis, Constipation, Cornea, Cough, Diabetes, Dysuria, Epilepsy, Fever, Furunculosis, Glycosuria, Hemorrhoid, High Cholesterol, IDDM, Inflammation, Leukoderma, NIDDM, Obesity, Opacities, Ophthalmia, Pain, Paraguesia, Side Ache, Snakebite, Stomachache, Syndrome X, Water Retention, Worms.[Handbook of Medicinal Herbs]
Traditional Use: Kol: Leaf: in gastric troubles; Ethnic Communities of Rajasthan and Ohasan Valley: Leaf: in diabetes; Ethnic Communities of Kandala (Maharashtra): Leaf: in urinary complaints; Gond: Leaf: in diabetes, stomachache; Ethnic Communities of Madhya Pradesh: Leaf: in cornea opacity and other eye diseases; Ethnic Communities of Godavari District (Andhra Pradesh): Leaf: in diabetes, glycosuria; Irular: Leaf: in diabetes; Charaka Samhita: removes bad odour from breast milk, aperitive; Sushruta Samhita: plant useful as purgative, in eye troubles; leaf extract and also the same of flower beneficial for eyes; bark useful in the diseases caused by vitiated kapha (phlegm); Bagbhat: rootbark useful in piles; Bhavaprakasha: it is bitter, appetiser, gastric stimulant, removes cough, alleviates breathing troubles, useful in curing phlegm, eyetroubles, wounds; Rajanighantu: appetiser, removes phlegm, piles, colic pain, cures dropsy, useful in eye troubles, cardiotonic, beneficial in respiratory diseases, wounds, detoxicant; fruits are bitter, sialagogue, thermogenic, cures the diseases caused by vitiated kapha (phlegm) or vata (wind); Nighanturatnakaram: removes cough, vitiated wind, detoxicant, appetiser, useful in eye troubles. Ayurveda: acrid, alexipharmic, anodyne, anthelmintic, antipyretic, astringent, bitter, cardiotonic, digestive, diuretic, emetic,expectorant, laxative, stimulant, stomachic, uterine tonic; useful in amennorrhoea, asthma, bronchitis, cardiopathy, conjunctivitis, constipation, cough, dyspepsia, haemorroids, hepatosplenomegaly, inflammations, intermittant fever, jaundice and leucoderma; root emetic and removes phlegm; external application is useful in insectbae [Horticultural, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants]
Siddha: an ingredient of 'Cirukuricinver'. Unani: An ingredient of 'Gurmarbuti'. The fresh leaves, when chewed, paralyse the sense of sweet for sometime; for this reason it is called gur-mar, thereby meaning sugar-killer and impression has become prevalent in some parts of the country that it is useful in diabetes mellitus. Chewing fresh leaves also paralyse the taste of bitter for a while. [Horticultural, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants]
Unani uses: Sammiyate Afyoon, Ziabetus shakri
288 Published articles on Gymnema sylvestre
