Family : Plumbaginaceae

English : Ceylon leadwort

Hindi : Chitrak

Gujarati : Safed Chitro

Sanskrit : Chitraka

Part used : Root

Botanical Description: A perennial sub scandant shrub leaves simple, ovate, glabrous, flowers white in elonagted spikes; capsules oblong, pointed in viscid glandular persistent calyx. Flowering and fruiting from August to Febuary.

It mainly occurs in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bengal, UP, South India etc.

Rasa : Katu

Guna : Ruksa, Laghu, Tiksna,

Virya : Usna

Vipaka : Katu

Karma : Sothahara, Dipana, Grahi,

Pacana, Kaphav¡tahara, Arsohara, ulahara.

Modern Pharmacological Action: Plumbagin and chloroform extracts of Plumbago zeylanica L. root showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus. Inhibition against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens and Bacillus subtilis was moderate, and lower against Proteus vulgaris and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The methanolic extract exhibited moderate activity and the aqueous extract weak activity against the bacterial strains as assessed by disc diffusion assays. The bioactive compound plumbagin and extract of Plumbago zeylanica root show a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity, antifungal, Anticarcinogenic activity It is also reported to have antitumor activity. The Methanolic root extract of Plumbago zeylanica are having significant wound healing activity in rats. They are also known to possess antifertility, germicidal, antileprotic and anti-inflammatory activities. The plant is also reported to possess central nervous system stimulatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, hypolipidaemic and anti-atherosclerotic properties