A very prickly, diffuse herb, l-4ft-diam., bright-green mature, nearly glabrous. Leaves 4-5in. by 2-3in., ovate, or elliptic, sinuate or sub-pinnatifld, glabrescent, very prickly spines, ½in., straight ; petiole lin. Peduncles short, mostly extra-axillary. Cymes lateral, few-fid. Flowers blue, few, all perfect. Pedicels and Calyx stellately pubescent, or at length glabrous. Calyx in flower 1/5in., lobes ovate oblong usually prickly, hardly enlarged in fruit. Corolla lin. diam., pubescent without ; lobes shallow. Berry yellow or whitish and green-blotched, ½-¾in.
diam. globose, glabrous, much exceeding the Calyx-lobes. Seeds 1/12in diam., glabrous.
Uses : — " The root is much esteemed as an expectorant, and is used in cough, asthma, catarrhal fever and pain in the chest. Kantikâri is used in medicine in various forms, such as decoction, electuary, ghrita, &c. A decoction of the root is given with the addition of long pepper and honey, in cough and catarrh, and with the rock salt and assafœtida in spasmodic cough " (Hindu Mat. Med.).
The roots beaten up and mixed up with wine are given to check vomiting. The juice of the berry is also useful in sore-throat (Agra Exhibition),
The root is largely employed in catarrhal and febrile affections, having expectorant, diuretic and other properties assigned to it. The stems, flowers and fruit, according to Dr. Wilson (Calcutta Med. Phys. Trans. Vol. 11., p. 406), are bitter and carminative, and are prescribed in those forms of the burning of the feet (Ignipeditis) which are attended with a vesicular, watery eruption. Fumigations with the vapour of the burning seeds of this plant are in high repute in the cure of toothache. It acts as a powerful sialogogue, and by this means probably relief is obtained (Ph, Ind.).
In the Concan 2 tolas of the juice of the fresh plant, with 2 tolas of Hemidesmus juice, are given in whey as diuretic, and the root with chiretta and ginger is given in decoction as a febrifuge. Dr. Peters, of the Bombay Medical Service, informs us that in Bengal the plant is much used as a diuretic in dropsy.
In the Pan jab hills, the expressed juice of the leaves is given
