Ruellia tuberosa L.
Vernacular name: Minnie root, Popping pod, Fever root, Waterkanon; Telugu: Jurbula gadda
Species Name: Ruellia tuberosa L.
Family: Acanthaceae
Habit: Perennial herb, erect, usually low-growing; cultivated as an ornamental and also naturalized in India, occurring in wastelands, near habitations and moist localities.
Stem: Erect, green and hairy, particularly in the young parts; generally branched.
Leaf: Leaves opposite, simple, elliptic to elliptic-obovate, relatively broad, with slightly crenate or undulate margins; petiolate.
Flowering: July–October
Flowers: Large, showy violet to blue-violet, bisexual, funnel-shaped flowers, usually borne singly in the leaf axils; corolla about 2.2–5.5 cm long.
Fruit: Oblong, club-shaped capsule, longer than the calyx, containing several seeds; when wet, the mature capsule can suddenly split and scatter its seeds, giving rise to the common name “popping pod.”
Uses:
- Folk medicines uses the plant to manage and regulate blood sugar levels.
- Traditional medicines uses the topical application of poultices of plant for its antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties to reduce swellings, joint pain and fevers.
- Plant has diuretic property and is used to manage minor urinary and kidney related ailments and promote urination.
- Plant is used for gastrointestinal relief as it soothes stomach aches and protects the digestive lining.
- Topical application of leaf paste is used to treat sores, boils, burns and minor skin eruptions.
- Plant contains some bioactive compounds like saponins, phenolics and flavonoids that are responsible for antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
