Description

Green chiretta commonly known as creat or , is an annual herbaceous plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to India and Sri Lanka. It is widely cultivated in Southern and Southeastern Asia, where it has been traditionally been believed to be a treatment for bacterial infections and some diseases. Mostly the leaves and roots were used for such purposes. The whole plant is also used in some cases.

Characteristics:

Green chiretta is an erect annual herb extremely bitter in taste in all parts of the plant. It grows erect to a height of 1-4 ft in moist shady places with smooth leaves and white flowers with rose-purple spots on the petals. Stem dark green, 0.3 - 1.0 m in height, 2-6 mm in diameter, quadrangular with longitudinal furrows and wings on the angles of the younger parts, slightly enlarged at the nodes; leaves glabrous, up to 8.0 cm long and 2.5 cm broad, lanceolate, pinnate; flowers small, in lax spreading axillary and terminal racemes or panicles; capsules linear-oblong, acute at both ends, 1.9 cm x 0.3 cm; seeds numerous, sub quadrate, yellowish brown.

Medicinal Uses:

Since ancient times, Green chiretta is used as a wonder drug in traditional Siddha and Ayurvedic systems of medicine as well as in tribal medicine in India and some other countries for multiple clinical applications. The therapeutic value of Kalmegh is due to its mechanism of action which is perhaps by enzyme induction. The plant extract exhibits antityphoid and antifungal activities. It is mainly used for liver problems as it protects the liver against damage caused by free radicals due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Kalmegh also helps to boost immunity and is used to manage the symptoms of the common cold, sinusitis and allergies due to its antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. Kalmegh might be good for diabetics as it is effective in lowering blood sugar levels by increasing insulin secretion. It also helps in managing blood pressure by widening the blood vessels and increasing blood flow.