“Sadabahar- Varamasi – Sadaphuli”

Botanical Name: Catharanthus roseus

Family: Apocynaceae

English Name: Periwinkle

Indian Names:

• Hindi: Sadabahar
• Bengali: Nayantara, Gul feringi
• Gujrati: Sadabahar, Varmasi
• Kannada: Kasikanigalu, Kampukasi
• Malayalam: Ushamalari
• Marathi: Sadaphuli
• Oriya: Ainskati
• Punjabi: Rattanjot
• Tamil: Pillaganneru
• Telugu: Sudukatu, mallikai

Foreign Names

• French: Pervenche dr Madagascar
• South African: Veinca
• Spanish: Dominica de Cuba

Introduction

• C. roseus also known as Vinca rosea has a very old tradition in the folk medicine of Europe and Midde-East countries since 50 B.C.
• Has been used in European countries for its anti-haemorrhagic, wound healing, anti-dysentric and diuretic properties
• First studied scientifically by Canadian scientists Noble, Beer and Cutts

Plant Morphology

• C. roseus is evergreen perennial herb, grows upto 90 cm high
• Stem: erect, branching from the base with flexible long branches which are purple or light green in colour
• Leaves: simple, opposite, ex-stipulate and petiolate.
• Inflorescence: racemose with flowers in axillary pairs
• Flowers: rose-purple, white, or white with a rose purple spot in centre, pedicillate, hermaphrodite, complete, actinomorphic, and hypogynous, 5 sepals and 5 petals
• Corolla: tubular and swollen in the region of anthers. The throat of corolla tube is hairy, forming a corona like structure.
• Seeds: small, black in colour.

Geographical Distribution

• Indigenous to Madagascar
• Grwon in India, Europe, South Africa, USA and West Indies
• India: all over India particularly tropical and sub-tropical areas upto an altitude of 1300 m

Varieties/ Species

There are 8 allied species of C. roseus, out of which six species i.e. C. ovalis, C. trichophyllous, C. longifolius, C. coriaceous, C. lanceous and C. scitulus are found in Madagascar.

India- Apart from C. roseus C. pusillus and G. Don are found. CIMAP- India released two white flower varieites namely “Nirmal” and “Dhawal” for higher herb yield.

Parts Used: Dried whole Plant

Chemical Constituents:

• More than 100 indole alkaloids in C. roseus
• Total alkaloids: Leaf- 0.60-0.67 %; Stem- 0.26- 0.31%; Flower- 0.005-0.007%; Root- 0.78-1.22%; Root-bark- 4.5-9%

Uses

Therapeutic

• Antidiabetic
• Diuretic
• Anti-dysenteric
• Wound healer
• Anti-malarial

Commercial

• Extraction of vincristine, vinblastine, ajmalicine

Nature around us has every element to keep us health. Add Periwinkle to your Garden Jewel for not only its beauty but also for its value.

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