Indian pennywort-Kudangal-Mandook parni

 

Centella asiatica –Kudangal,Kari Muthil,Mandook Parni

Pennywort is also known as centella asiatica, gotu kola, asiatic and indian pennywort, brahmi, marsh pennywort, common pennywort, waternavel, sombrevillo de aqua, bachelor's buttons and penny grass. The various names contribute to the region and language it is being used in around the world.

The Pennywort herb is a member of the dill and carrot family.Indian Pennywort is a small creeping herb with shovel shaped leaves emerging alternately in clusters at the stem nodes. The runners lie along the ground and the inch long leaves with their scalloped edges rise above on long reddish petioles. The insignificant greenish- to pinkish-white flowers are borne in dense umbels (clusters in which all the flower stalks arise from the same point) on separate stems in the summer. The seeds are pumpkin-shaped nutlets 0.1-0.2 in long. In India it is revered as a medicinal herb, and particularly in Manipur the full plant is eaten as food like a leafy vegetable. Indian Pennywort appears to have originated in the wetlands of Asia. China, India, and Malaya were probably within its original range.

Commonly known as Jal Brahmi, medicine made from the leaves and the body of this plant is a tonic for diuretic and alterative usages. It subsides the symptoms of the disease and contributes to general health of the patient. It is further known as great tonic for the brain and stimulator of hair growth. The whole plant possesses antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifebrile, diuretic and galactagogic properties. Poultices made from the plant is recommended for contusions, closed fractures, sprains and tuberculosis. The main compounds in Centella are the triterpenes asiatic and madecassic acid, together with triterpenoid ester glycosides, known as asiaticoside and brahminoside, while the volatile principle in the plant contains p-cymol, b-caryophyllene and farnesene.

Used as an

Antibacterial

Anti-Inflammatory

Anti-Febrile & Diuretic

Product Details

 • Botanical Name: Centella asiatica  

• Family Name: Appiaceae  

• Common Name: Pennywort, Indian Pennywort, Artayniya-e Hindi, Jal Brahmi  

• Part Used: leaves/Whole Plant  

• Habitat: Grown in waterlogged places throughout India. 

Hindi Name:Mandookparni

Sanskrit Name:Mandookparni, Saraswati Malayalam:kudangal,karimuthil,karimtakali,kodakan

Common Name:Indian Pennywort, Gotu kola

Latin Name:Centella Asiatica Urban

Medicinal Properties:The leaves are used in Ayurvedic preparations. Mandookaparni is used as a Medhya Rasayana (Brain tonic). Ayurveda uses it for skin and mental conditions. In many parts of India, it is used as a substitute for Brahmi (Bacopa monnjera). Nootropic (nourishment effects on nervous system) and immunomodulatory activities are observed and established through various clinical researches. When compared this with Brahmi, it showed similar action. It is also used for cardiac care, cough expectoration, polyurea and helps to improve lactation in.

Effect on Dosha:Balances Kapha and Pitta

Gotu Kola is the name used for Centella asiatica in India to distinguish it from the other herb known as Brahmi, (Bacopa monnieri or Herpestis monniera). Actually it has been used for much the same medical purposes as Brahmi and grows in the same countries, although once again it is native to the Indian subcontinent and China, it is believed, but it has become naturalized in the US centuries or perhaps millennia ago.

It has been found to help reduce gastric ulcers in rats, and has shown to have improved their cognitive processes (in different laboratory trials). There is hope that it can be used to help Alzheimer’s patients and to combat the effects of senility.

Traditionally it has been used in India and Pakistan as a cure all and modern medical research has so far supported these ancient uses although more trials are needed on humans before the researchers will say categorically that Centella asiatica is very good for us in lots of ways. They agree that it heals wounds effectively, and can improve blood circulation and help those with varicose veins. As it promotes blood circulation and strengthens veins, it is good for sexual disorders in both sexes, especially erectile dysfunctions in men.

The good news for men in the US is that grows prolifically in wetlands and the dried leaves can be made into a hot tea. You’ll pay a fortune for it as a supplement or sex aid, but you can go and pick your own leaves and dry them- even grow American coinwort (as it’s known in the States) in your garden. (In other countries it’s known as pennywort but here we’re talking about Indian pennywort)

It can help decrease anxiety, stress and fatigue and is good for scleroderma, improving finger movements, joint pain and skin hardening. As it has a mild sedative effect it is good to cure insomnia, although your dreams may have more clarity. It is sometimes used as an aid to meditation, with the leaves burned as incense, as it clears the mind and gives mental clarity. It has been said that it helps in past lives recollection. It has the effect of balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain.

Gotu Kola is mainly used in the West (at the moment) for its cutaneous anti-inflammatory properties as it can help in rheumatism.

In China it is reputed to promote longevity and the example often given of this is that of Li Ching Yun, a legendary healer who lived until he was 256 years old, presumably retaining all his faculties.

It has anti-aging properties for the skin and tightens older skin, helping to prevent wrinkling and can be used in creams to get rid of acne blemishes. In this respect it is rather like aloe vera.

If you are pregnant, or taking the contraceptive pill, or oestrogen replacement treatment, do not use gotu kola internally.

it boasts numerous health benefits. These include increased youthfulness and vitality, improved eyesight and memory, relief from pain associated with arthritis and relief from insomnia.

Li Ching-Yuen, a Tai Chi Chuan Master, was rumoured to have lived for a staggering 256 years because of his daily use of Pennywort. Sri Lankan King Aruna was said to have given Pennywort the credit for giving him enough stamina to satisfy all 50 women belonging to his harem during the 10th century.

This wonder herb is used to treat venereal diseases, skin impurities, rheumatism, high blood pressure, hepatitis, varicose veins, skin ulcers, minor burns, fatigue and stress. Fresh leaves have been known to be used in treating dysentery, asthma, stomach disorders and bronchitis. Juice extracted from the leaves is highly beneficial in promoting the purification of the blood. It helps improve circulation and the rebuilding of connective tissue, assisting in the prevention of premature ageing. Pennywort can be used for eczema and other skin-related ailments, including skin ulcers. It is also able to lower blood sugar levels.

Pennywort contains a number of minerals and vitamins, among them Vitamin K, calcium, sodium, Vitamin B-Complex, magnesium, zinc and manganese. It is also able to help protect the body from toxins. This herb is also able to greatly benefit the central nervous system, making it effective in the treatment of ADD, senility, epilepsy, strokes and nervous system disorders. Those suffering from leg cramps and phlebitis can benefit from using this herb. It is also effective in reducing fevers.

Pennywort leaves spoil quite quickly, so it is best to use them within 2 days of purchasing them at a health store or after picking and harvesting them. It is a swampy herb that enjoys a fair amount of moisture and is easy to grow.
Place Pennywort leaves in a blender and add enough water to cover them. Add honey, stevia or xylitol to sweeten them. Puree until the leaves are completely mushy. Strain out any leafy sludge that remains with a fine-mesh strainer or colander. Serve it poured over ice. Lemon juice may also be added to improve the taste.
To make tea using Pennywort leaves, pour boiling water over them and steep for approximately five minutes. If using fresh leaves, use around a quarter cup for 1 cup of tea. If you are using dried leaves, use approximately two teaspoons of the dried leaves.
It is important to note that the safety of this herb has not yet been established for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. photos 

This herb works by averting a disorderly manner of the absorption of nutrition and corrects this process through an improved progression of digestion of nutrients. Pennywort has properties of being antibacterial, anti-viral, and anti- inflammatory. It contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6 as well as the minerals, calcium, magnesium, sodium, manganese, and zinc.

The benefits of pennywort tea are numerous and many people use this tea as a health tonic. Maintaining youth and the treatment of arthritis are its most popular use. It is recongized as a longivity herb because of its ability to help rebuild connective tissue, which in turn, can slow the aging process. Plus, it has been commended as a great antidote for improving memory and, therefore, considered food for the brain. Studies have indicated by consuming 2-4 raw pennywort leaves a day may help sharpen alertness and memory and rejuvenate the brain. There is important research being conducted to observe the effects this herb can have on those suffering with Alzheimer’s disease.

The central nervous system can receive amazing benefits with the consumption of pennywort. This herb works well in relaxing the mind and can assist in certain nervous disorders, senility, strokes, ADD, and epilepsy. It can be utilized as a nerve tonic when coping with mental stress and fatigue and encourage sleep due to a nervous condition.

Pennywort can help protect our immune system from toxins. High blood pressure, congestive heart failure, venereal diseases and urinary tract infections are a few of a range of illnesses that can be treated with this remarkable herb. Because of its antibiotic properties, it has the capability to speed up the healing process of wounds.

Futhermore, pennywort can improve blood flow while also reinforcing veins and capillaries, making them stronger. Studies have shown it to be beneficial in healing and preventing phlebitis, leg cramps, and blood clots as well as decrease the appearance of varicose veins. It is effective in bringing down fever and treating dysentery in children, which is a servere form of diarrhea.

Pennywort has also proved to cleanse and purify the blood stream and can remedy certain skin conditions such as eczema, chronic ulcers, sores, and scleroderma, which is a condition that hardens the skin. A powder can be made from the leaves of this plant and applied to the eruptions on the skin.