Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don
| Synonym : | Ammocallis rosea (L.) Small Pervinca rosea (L.) Gaterau Vinca rosea L. Lochnera rosea (L.) Recichb. |
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| Bangla Name : | Nayantara. |
| English Name : | Madagascar Periwinkle, Red Periwinkle, Periwinkle. |
| Family : | Apocynaceae |
| Disease : | Diabetes, menorrhagia, tonic, stomachic, leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease |
| Description : | A bushy annual or somewhat suffruticose plant, 0.3-0.6 cm high. Leaves 7-9 cm long, polished, ovate or oblong. Flowers white or deep rose-coloured, usually paired in the leaf axils. Follicles linear, 2.3 cm long. |
| Distribution : | Commonly grown in gardens. |
| Chemical Constituents : | The plant contains more than 100 indole alkaloids which are distributed in all parts, but more concentrated in the roots, the bark of the pink variety contains up to 9% of total alkaloids. These alkaloids include the clinically most important bis-indole a |
| Uses : | The plant has been used as a folk remedy for diabetes. Leaf juice is applied to wasp-sting, infusion of the leaves is given in menorrhagia. The root is considered tonic and stomachic. The alkaloids isolated from plant possess anticancer properties, among |
| Habit : | Herb |