Carthamus TINCTORIUS L.
| Synonym : | Carthamus glaber Burm.f. Carthamus tinctorius var. albus Alef. Carthamus tinctorius var. spinosuskitam. Centaurea carthamus E.H.L.Krause |
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| Bangla Name : | Kushum, Kajira. |
| English Name : | Safflower. |
| Family : | Asteraceae |
| Disease : | Laxative, diuretic, appetizer, diuretic, expectorant, inflammations, boils, ringworms, scabies, leucoderma, piles, bronchitis and jaundice, diaphoretic, rheumatism, laxative and toinc, measles. |
| Description : | A thisle-like annual herb, about 60 cm high. Leaves sessile, rigid, broad-lanceolate, spinosely serrate. Flowery orange-red in large terminal heads, 2.5-3.3 cm long. |
| Distribution : | Cultivated as an oil crop. |
| Chemical Constituents : | Safflower contains carthamone, lignans and a polysaccharide. Aerial parts of the plant contain acetylenic compounds. Flowers contain eleven triterpene alcohols, helianol being the major one, a yellow pigment, safflomin A and the coloring matter, carthamin |
| Uses : | Young plants are efficacious in colds. Leaves are laxative, diuretic and appetizer, cure urinary discharges and good for the eyes. Flowers are hypnotic, diuretic, expectorant and tonic to the liver, cures inflammations, boils, ringworms, scabies, leucoder |
| Habit : | Herb |