Witnessed by: Ayurveda
Whitehead (Enicostemma littorale), of the Gentianaceae family. Small erect perennial herb with whorled leaves; native range: coastal and dry plains of India. Globally recognized as mamejava, nagajihva in Sanskrit, chota chirayata, mamejava in Hindi, and whitehead, Indian whitehead in English. The part used is whole plant. Slender stems bearing tiny white flowers; the whole herb is markedly and cleanly bitter.
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.
WHITEHEAD
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- whitehead
- Scientific name
- Enicostemma littorale Blume
- Family
- Gentianaceae
Form
- Part used
- whole plant
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- bitter (tikta)
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- cooling (sheeta virya)
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- anti-diabetic (pramehaghna), bitter tonic and digestive-stimulant (deepana), febrifuge (jvaraghna), blood-purifying (raktashodhana)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- strongly bitter and drying; use cautiously in marked vata and depleted states
- Toxicity
- no significant toxicity at customary doses
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