Description

Indian Moon-Seed also called patha(not to be confused with Tinospora cordifolia or "heart-leaved moonseed", from the same family Menispermaceae, is a climbing shrub found across India and Sri Lanka, in habitats ranging from Moist Deciduous Forests to Tropical Forests and Plains. It is a slender twining shrub, frequently climbing up on tall trees.

Characteristics:

Leaves are alternate, heart shaped, 2.5-10 cm long, 2.5-3.75 cm broad, stipule 5-10 cm long and nerves 7-11. The flowers are unisexual, pale yellow. Male flowers are borne in panicles of congested cymes 20-30 cm long, finely velvet-hairy, stalked. Flowers are stalked, green; calyx bell-shaped, lobed for 1/4 of the tube into 4-6 sepals, hairy inside, finely velvet-hairy outside; petals are cyathiform, hairless; stamens 4; synandrium peltate, included, 6 - 8-loculed. Female flowers are borne in panicles, 2.5-5 cm long, hairy; bracteoles ovate-lanceshaped or linear, hairy. Flowers are stalkless, sepal 1, round, hairy; petal 1, round, hairless; staminodes 6; carpels 3, ovoid, hairy; style short. The fruits are spherical drupes, white in color. Indian Moon-Seed is found in Western Ghats.

Medicinal Uses:

Being an appetizer, digestive, laxative, astringent and anthelniintic, it is useful in anorexia. indigestion,abdominal pain, diarrhoea and dysentery. It is a blood purifier and has anti-inflammatory properly, so it is used in blood disorders, heart disorders and inflammation. Respiratory system Being an expectorant, is is used in cough and dyspnoea. Since it purifies breast milk it is used in various disorders ot breast milk secretion. It is  diuretic, hence useful in  dysuria and haematuria.