Thumbai

The Scientific name of Thumbai: Lucas aspera

Name of Thumbai in different languages:-

Sanskrit: Dronapushpi, Phale pushpa, Drona, Chitrapatrika

English: Thumbe

Hindi: Chota halkusa

Malayalam: Thumba തുമ്പ

Plant description:

Thumbai (Lucas Aspera) is an annual plant that grows to 15 to 60 cm. tall. The leaves are obtuse, linearly lanceolate some time petiolate, petioles is 2.5 to 6 mm long, the epidermis is covered in a thick waxy cuticle, stem quadrangular, the stem is covered with a waxy cuticle. Flowers are white, small, auxiliary whorls; hairy and acute, fruit is 2.5 mm long, oblong and brown in colour.

Leaf Arrangement

Shape-linear	Margin-Entire	Venation-Reticulate

Useful plant parts:

Whole plant, leaf, root.

Medicinal uses of

Thumbai: nasal congestion, coughing, cold, headache, fever, sinusitis, intestinal worms in children.

Chemical contents :

Alkaloids, glucoside, Insecticide, antifungal, prostaglandin inhibitory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antinociceptive and cytotoxic activities.

How to prepare medicines:

1. leaf juice can be used in eye diseases, sinusitis, and Tonsillitis

2. 3-4 leaves of thumbai, a small onion, and a little common salt each press well to get its juice and apply on the head before sunrise repeat this for three days.

3. Pressed leaves can be inhaled to get relief from the common cold

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