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Packed with medicinal power
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Nilavembu was used as an antibiotic and ancient healers advocated chewing its leaf once a week, writes Hema Vijay
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Curing potential: Extracts from Nilavembu are known to be potent against infections and insect bites.
This small plant comes packed with big medicinal power. The plant being referred to is Nilavembu or Andrographis paniculata.
Siddha medicine claims that extracts from this plant are potent against infections and insect bites.
In fact, Nilavembu was used as an antibiotic, before the onslaught of western medicine, and ancient healers advocated chewing a Nilavembu leaf once a week (or once in two weeks, in the case of children) to guard oneself against infections.
Nilavembu is supposed to have anti-pyretic qualities too.
Nilavembu is one of the few plants which is used not just in traditional Siddha system of meidicine, but also in Ayurvedic and many tribal systems of medicine.
In fact, it is now believed that the plant extract is potent against even diabetes and chikungunya too.
A Bastyr University study has claimed the anti-HIV activity of andrographolide, found in Nilavembu.
Studies are being conducted round the world on this plant’s anti-cancer potential too.
Nurture
Nilavembu grows best and gains maximum potency when raised in bright sunlight. And so, though it is a relatively small plant, the plant needs to be grown in a bright sunlit garden or a balcony which gets a through shower of sunlight. Nilavembu plants may be raised from seeds or seedlings.
The plant grows well in the usual soil mixture of one part sand, one part red earth and one part manure.
Watering the plant with a litre of water everyday is sufficient.
Again, as it is a medicinal plant, the plant is not likely to be affected by insect infestations.
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