Description

Elephant Foot is a tropical species of flowering plant in the sunflower family. It is native to tropical Africa, Eastern Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and northern Australia. It has become naturalized in tropical Africa and  Latin America. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Elephant Foot is a ground-based herb. This plant is also known as Anayadiyan Anachunda. (English: prickly leaved elephants foot). Its scientific name is Elephantropes scaber. Gojihwa is also considered by some to be a member of the Borazinaceae family, Onosma kratiatum. Growing in the shade, this plant is a single root for many ailments. This plant is found in Africa, East Asia, Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia. Elephantropes scaber is used as a traditional medicine. Different parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine of India as an astringent agent, cardiac tonic, and diluretic, and is used for eczema, rheumatism, fever, and bladder stones.  Elephantropesscaber modulates inflammatory responses by inhibiting the production of TNFα and IL-1β.

Characteristics:

Elephant Foot is a rather coarse, rigid, erect, hairy herb 30 to 60 cm high. Stems forked, and stiff. Leaves are mostly in basal rosette and oblong-ovate to oblong-lancelike, 10-25 cm in length and often very much notched on the margins. Those on the stem few and much smaller. Purple flowers are 8-10 mm long. Each head comprises about 4 flowers. Flowering heads borne in clusters at the end of the branches and usually enclosed by 3 leaf-like bracts which are ovate to oblong-ovate, 1 to 1.5 cm long, and heart-shaped at the base. The flowering heads many-crowded in each cluster. Fruits are achenes, ribbed. Pappus from 4 to 6 mm long with rigid ristles.

Uses:

Roots and leaves are used as emollient for dysuria, diarrhoea, dysentery, swellings and stomach pain. Root is prescribed to prevent vomiting. Powdered with pepper it is applied for tooth-ache. Leaves are used in applications for eczema and ulcers.