Rubia cordifolia, commonly known as Manjistha or Manjith is found in the hilly terrains at altitudes above 3750 meters. It is used for the treatment of rheumatism, pleurisy and other chest complaints.The root is also given for urinary troubles, eyesores, liver complaints, spleen enlargements, menorrhagia and other menstrual complaints. The root decoction is used in paralysis and jaundice. It  can also be administered orally during child delivery and blood disorders. In the ayurvedic system of medicine, it is used as an effective cure for ulcers, inflammation and minor skin abrasions.

CURRENT STOCK

We currently have Manjith in stock -  cultivated in the fields of Darjeeling, Nepal and Sikkim.  Please contact us at sales@organoindia to place your orders.

Manjistha is a perennial, prickly creeper or climber, growing in thick vegetative areas common throughout the hilly tracts of India. It is distributed in temperate regions ascending to an altitude of 3,750m in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Bhutan, Malaysia and Nepal.

The herb is found to scramble over bushes by means of its scabrid or minutely aculeate stem, petioles or whorled leaves. Leaves are 2-4 inches long, ovate-lanceolate with rounded or cordate base with 5-7 principal nerves, arbed above, hairy beneath. Petiole 1-3 in aculeate with small hooked prickles. Flowers yellowish, white, umbellate in branches of 3-chotomous cymes 1-3 cm long. Corolla hispid with 5-6 recurved petals. Anthers didynamous. Fruit globose, fleshy with 2 small seeds. The roots are long and cylindric with a thin, red bark.

Parts Used:

Fruits and Roots

Constituents

This herb contains Purpurin, Munjistin, Xanthopurpurin or Purpuroxanthin and Pseudopurpurin.

The roots are reported to contain alizarin and its glocoside, 1-hydroxy-2, methylanthra-qunione, nor-damnacanthal, physician, 1,4-diluydroxy-6-menthylanthraquinone, 3-prenyl-5-menthoxyanthaquinone. The whole plant yielded two pentacyclic triterpene named rubicoumaric acid and rubifolic acid which have been identified as 30-hydroxy-3-β-р-hydroxy-coumaryloxy-urs-2-en-28 oic acid and 3β, 30-dihydroxy-usr-20-en-28 oic acid, respectively.

 Medicinal Uses 

The roots are credited with tonic, antiseptic, and deobstruent properties. They are used in rheumatism, pleurisy and other chest complaints. The root is also given for urinary troubles, eyesores, liver complaints, spleen enlargements, menorrhagia and other menstrual complaints. The root decoction is used in paralysis and jaundice. It is orally administered during child delivery and blood disorders. The paste is applied to wounds and cuts. A decoction of stem and leaves is used as vermifuge.

In the ayurvedic system of medicine, it is used as an effective cure for ulcers, inflammation and minor skin abrasions. It is also used as an ingredient of Majun supari pak used by women as an aphrodisiac in sluggish uterine muscular action and leucorrhoea.