Witnessed by: Ayurveda
Little ironweed (Vernonia cinerea), of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family. Slender erect annual herb with small mauve flower-heads; native range: pantropical, an abundant weed of Indian roadsides and fallow land. Globally recognized as sahadevi · dandotpala in Sanskrit, sahadevi · kalajira in Hindi, and little ironweed · ash-coloured fleabane · purple fleabane in English. The part used is whole plant, root. Grey-downed stems and leaves, small purple tufted flowers, bitter and slightly acrid.
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.
LITTLE IRONWEED
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- little ironweed
- Scientific name
- Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less.
- Family
- Asteraceae (Compositae)
Form
- Part used
- whole plant, root
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- bitter · pungent · astringent (tikta , katu , kashaya)
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna)
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- jwaraghna (antipyretic), swedajanana (diaphoretic), kaphavata-hara, krimighna, mutrala, kushthaghna (relieves skin disease)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- the hot diaphoretic avoided in high pitta and in already profuse sweating
- Toxicity
- regarded as a safe folk drug with no notable toxicity
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