Vitex negundo, (Chinese chastetree) a member of family Verbenaceae, known commonly as Nirgundi or Kari Nochi, is distributed all over India.
Habitat: It is common in the riverbanks, road sides etc. It is native of Africa and Asia. Found mostly in India, Burma, Afgan, China, Srilanka, and Malaysia.
Morphology: Vitex is a shrub having a purplish pubescent shade all over. It has aromatic and pale bark. Leaves are 3-5 foliate. Length of leaflet varies from 5-14. Elliptic or lanceolate leaves are seen. Inflorescence is a panicle having length up to 20 cm. Calyx has 5 sepals, corolla is purple in color, upper lip 2-lobes and lower lip 3-lobes. Stamens-4, filaments purple. Style purple, stigma bi-fid and fruit is a purple or black drupe.
Constituents: Casticin, chrysosplenol and vitexin.
Uses:
1. Chasteberry is known as a female remedy, used to reduce sexual desire. Roman wives kept the leaves of chasteberry on their couches, when their husbands were abroad, that's the reason why the plant is known as chasteberry tree.
2. The plant is also used in monastries, as it reduced sexual desire, and became a spice food where it was called "Monk's pepper".
3. It is used from ancient times to regularize monthly periods and treat dysmenorrhea. It also eases menopause symptoms.
4. It reduces ear pain when mixed with mustard oil and used as an ear drop.
5. It is supposed to decrease obesity. A spoonful of juice from the leaves of Vitex taken orally for this purpose.
6. It is used to treat diabetes, in combination with Catharanthus, and Azadirachta.
7. It is a household pesticide an also used in witchcraft.
8. Herbal shoes are prepared from vitex to treat rheumatism in Chattisgarh, India.
9. It was used for punishment in ancient China.
10. It is believed to repel 'evil eye' by the Oroan tribe.
11. It is used as a totem plant for defeat in war. The winning army used to wear Cardiospermum halicabacum, while those who lost the war were supposed to wearthe flowers of Vitex.
12. Vitex is considered as a biological indicator for the presence of water.
13. It is used as hedge plant, as no animal feeds on it.
14. Fresh leaves are used to mask the smell of rotting meat, when boiled with it.
15. Dry leaves are used for storing woolen garments as they repel insects.
16. Leaves are burnt to repel mosquitoes and other smokes.
17. The Lodha tribe uses dry leaf to repel bedbugs.
18. Green leaves are used as green manure.
19. It is used as a medicine for several diseases of cattle.
20. It enhances memory.
21. The leaf paste is applied on the navel and vagina for easy delivery.
22. In Ayurveda it is used to make Nirgundi taila, Nirgundi ghritha etc.
23. There is a local saying, "A man can not die of disease in a place where Vitex, Adathoda and Acorus are found".
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