Witnessed by: Ayurveda
Ink berry (Cocculus hirsutus), of the Menispermaceae family. Twining or trailing perennial climber; native range: dry tropical Asia and Africa. Globally recognized as vatsadani, patalagarudi in Sanskrit, jaljamni, farid buti in Hindi, and ink berry, broom creeper in English. The part used is whole plant, leaves, root. Softly hairy leaves that yield a mucilaginous, faintly bitter juice; small blackening berries stain like ink.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
INK BERRY
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- ink berry
- Scientific name
- Cocculus hirsutus (L.) W.Theob.
- Family
- Menispermaceae
Form
- Part used
- whole plant, leaves, root
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- bitter (tikta) · sweet (madhura)
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- cooling (sheeta virya)
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- diuretic (mutrala), demulcent and cooling (pittahara), aphrodisiac (vajikarana), alterative (raktashodhana), mild laxative (mridu virechana)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- generally well tolerated; use moderately in marked kapha and cold digestion
- Toxicity
- no significant toxicity at customary doses
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