Description
It’s a perennial climbing plant with alternate
tri-lobed from which axil tendrils sprout and roll themselves in a ringlet
form. Flowers are violet-white, big and solitaire with a long peduncle. They
are beautiful and the white corolla is embellished with purple filaments. It
has 5 large stamens and a 3 stigmas pistil. The fruit is oval-shaped, green or
pale brown and fleshy with plenty of dark yellow honeycomb-shaped seeds.
It is original from America and is cultivated in
tropical and sub-tropical regions. It is an ornamental plant and it is some
times naturalized in the Mediterranean zones.
Part used
The leaves and
flowers.
Indications
> Anxiety, nervous hyperexcitation, insomnia,
neurovegetative dystonia.
> Tachycardia and cardiovascular erethism,
hypertension.
> Intestinal spasms and gastrointestinal ulcer.
> Menopausal disorders.
> Muscle contractures: torticollis,
lumbar pain and myasthenia.
Other uses
> Opiate detoxification used along
with clonidine (Akhondzadeh et al 2001-a).
> Alcoholic detoxification (Dhawan et al
2002-a).
> Cough suppressant similar to codeine
(Dhawan K and Sharma A.
2002-a).
> Libido and fertility enhancer, raise
sperm count in rats (Dhawan
K and Sharma A. 2002-b).
> Prevents nicotine and
alcohol-induced azoospermia (Dhawan K et al. 2002-c).
