Marsh Barbel Seed Powder / நீர்முள்ளி விதைப் பொடி

Botanical Name: Hygrophila auriculata (Seed)
Tamil Name: நீர்முள்ளி விதைப் பொடி / Neermulli vithai Podi
Malayalam Name: കരിങ്കുറഞ്ഞി / Karimkurunni
Telugu Name: గొబ్బి / Gobbi
Hindi Name: झिण्टी / Jhinti

Description: Hygrophila auriculata or Marsh Barbel (English) is commonly used to call in Tamil as a Neermulli. An annual herbal plant grows up to 60cms altitude. The plant stem is tetragonal, hairy and stiffened at the nodes. The bark is dark brown, although the leaves are elliptic-lanceolate and hispid. The flowers are violet and somewhat purple-blue. Therapeutically, it is useful in inflammation, calculus, hyperactive thirst, diarrhea, poisoning, pain, anemia, abdominal disorders, flatulence, urine retention, burning sensation, rheumatoid arthritis, Prameha, vision disorders, and blood disorders.

Traditional Uses: Traditionally, it is used for the treatment of anasaraca, diseases of urinogenital tract, edema of chronic Bright’s disease, hyperdipsia, vesical calculi, flatulence, diarrhea, dysentery, leucorrhoea, gonorrhoea, asthma, blood diseases, gastric diseases, painful micturition, and menorrhagea.

Medicinal Uses: Its leaf is useful in a cough. Also useful for anal fistula. Its seed is useful in blood disorders. Intake of root decoction is useful for jaundice. Its vegetable is useful in anemia. Neermulli’s root and a whole part decoction are useful in rheumatoid arthritis. Pharmacological Activities: It has various pharmocological activities viz., aphrodisiac, liver protecting, hypoglycemic, hematopoietic, antioxidant and neuroprotective.

Dosage: After night food, take 1/2 teaspoon (3g) powder mix with honey & drink (or) as directed by physician.