Latin name: Plumbago zeylanica

Indian name: Chitrak

Habitat: The garden plant is growing wild in Bengal, U.P., Southern India and Ceylon.

Useful in: It is used in the treatment of dyspepsia, piles, diarrhoea. In Ayurveda Chitraka is popularly used as an appetizer and digestive.

Due to its pungent, hot properties, it acts as an appetizer, digestive, but astringent and anthelmintic. Therefore, it is useful in anorexia, indigestion, abdominal pain, liver disorders, sprue, haemorrhoids and worms. Mainly effective in non-bleeding piles.

Chitrak enhances the circulation of gastric mucus membrane, thus helps in digestion and absorption. Non-bleeding piles are caused by vata and kapha.

Reference: The Wealth of India, Vol-VIII Page 164. Dravyaguna vignyan (vaida V.M. Gogte P.No.370)