Akarakara

Botanical Name

Spilanthes acmella (L.) L.

Family

Compositae.

Regional Name

English : Toothache plant, Pellitary, Hindi : Akarkara, Sanskrit : Akallaka, Sarahattika, Bengali: Akarakara, Gujrati: Akkalkaro, Akkalgaro, Kannada: Akkallakara, Akallakara, Akalakarabha, Malayalam: Akikaruka, Akravu, Oriya: Akarakara, Punjabi: Akarakarabh, Akarakara, Telugu: Akkalakarra, Tamil : Vana-mugali, Marathi : Acharbomdi, Akalkarra, Pipu-labo, Assamese: Kulekhara,

Part Used

Flower.

Description

It is an erect, branched, annual herb that reaches a height of 15 to 60 cm. It is found in Southeast Asia and China. The plant is sprawling and much-branched, with olive-green to purple-flushed, ovate leaves. Leaves are opposite, smooth or nearly so, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, and 1.5 to 3 cm long, with a pointed tip and wedge-shaped base, and with toothed or wavy margins. Conical heads occur singly at the ends of long stalks and are about 1 cm in length. Flower heads are yellow with brown patches in the center. Achenes are flattened, oblong, dark-brown, and enclosed separately in scales.

Phytoconstituents

It contains spilanthol, acmellonate, stigmasterol, stigmasteryl-3-o-b-d-glucopyranoside and triterpenes.

Medicinal Uses

Flower heads are used for the treatment of wounds, toothache, dental cavities, looseness of teeth, pyorrhea, painful canker sores, ringworm infections, neurasthenia, insanity, flaccidity of tongue, and other mouth-related troubles. It is used for the improvements in ejaculation frequency and decreasing the post-ejaculatory interval. It is also used for the treatment of rheumatism and inflammation, tongue paralysis, stomatitis (inflamed and sore mouth), treatment for fever, sore throat, and even gum infections.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa: Katu, Guna: Tikshna, Ruksha, Virya : Ushna, Vipaka: Katu.

Ayurvedic Applications

Danta Krimi, Danta roga, Danta sula, Dantasaushirya, Kasa, Sotha, Svasa, Udararoga, Sullaroga, Krimi Roga, Vajikarana, Amavata.