Abrus PRECATORIUS L.
| Synonym : | Abrus precatorius subsp. Precatorius Abrus abrus (L.) Wright Abrus minor Desv. Glycine abrus L. |
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| Bangla Name : | Kunch, Ratti. ,Sarakao (Marma). |
| English Name : | Indian Liquorice, Crab’s eye, Jequirity. |
| Family : | Fabaceae |
| Disease : | Diarrhoea,dysentery,paralysis,cough,rheumatism,skin diseases. |
| Description : | A deciduous dextrose climber with slender flexible branches. Leaves peripinnate, 5-10 cm long, leaflets 20-40, ligulate-oblong 1-1.6 cm long. Racemes many-flowered, crowded, usually shorter than the leaves. Corolla white, 3-4 times the calyx c. 2 mm. Pods oblong, turgid, 2.5-3.7 cm long. Seeds small, ovoid, bright scarlet with a black spot at the hilum. |
| Distribution : | All over Bangladesh on bushes and fences. |
| Chemical Constituents : | Seeds contain two lectins, abrin-a and abrin-b, indole alkaloids and anthocyanins. Three toxins, abrin I, II, and III, and agglutinins have been isolated from seeds. Seeds also contain the alkaloids abrine, hypaphorine, trigonelline and choline, flavons, |
| Uses : | Seeds are considered purgative, emetic, tonic, aphrodisiac, useful in diarrhoea and dysentery, internally they are poisonous in large doses. Poultice of seeds are used as suppository to bring abortion. Seeds are used locally in sciatica, stiffness of the |
| Habit : | Climber |