KARISALANGANNI (BOTANICAL NAME: ECLIPTA ALBA OR ECLIPTA PROSTRATA)

Karisalanganni is a creeper. It is a moisture loving herb. It is found growing in wet soil such as the sides of the field, garden areas and other wet areas like river banks. It has a short flat or round stem with white flowers or yellow flowers on a long stalk. It is with the leaves which are opposite and lance shaped. The roots are well grown cylindrical and dark brownish or grayish in color. Floral heads are solitary, achene compressed narrowly winged and 5-8 mm in diameter. These herbs are spread all over the world. 

We are unaware that these are of high medicinal values that we do not know. We ignore this excellent plant as merely weeds.

There are four varieties of this herb which are identified with their flowers pink, blue, white or yellow. Out of these the white and yellow flower herbs are widely used in siddha world of medicines. These herbs plays an important role in the medical world and home dishes. They are called as manjal karisalanganni and vellai karisalanganni.

The vernacular names of this herb is as follows:

Sanskrit: Bhringraj

Hindi    : Mochkand

English: False Daisy

Malayalam: Kaayyunni

Assamese: Kehraj

Marathi: Bhangra

Karisalanganni as it is known in Tamil (Bhringaraj- sanskrit) is one of the 10 auspicious herbs of Dasapushpam group 10 flowers). Eclipta prostrata earlier called as Eclipta alba. The white variety grows wild and it is easily available. The blue variety is very rare and found on hill areas.

The Botanical name or the yellow variety is Weddelia Chinensis (also sometimes known as Wedelia Calendulacea) and is called as manjal karisalanganni in Tamil. The yellow variety is not easily available and is generally grown in homes.

The white variety has narrow leaves with small white flowers like tufts at the stem and leaf joint. 





Manjal karisalanganni has slightly broader and thicker leaves and the margin of its leaves has at least one marked serration. A small single yellow flower ifound at the top of the stem. 

Some siddha text books mentioned the fourth variety of Karisalanganni that is red color flower blossoms.
The white and yellow varieties are very much appreciated for its medicinal values since very ancient times. Its extracted juice is consumed as tonic as rejuvenatory drinks.

It is the yellow variety that is commonly used in Tamil Nadu to treat jaundice although the Siddha Medical books lists out both white and the yellow varieties as being useful and effective against injury to liver.

Expressed juice of the herb contains an oil soluble black dye and hence it is administering the hair into dark hair. The juice is also used in tattooing.

Karisalanganni is well known and admired and appreciated for its peculiar medicinal properties such as anticancer,  antioxident, analgesic, hypotensive, spasmogenic, antibacterial ovicidal, antihaemorrhagic, antihepatotoxic, antiviral, antileprotic, antimyotoxic and so on.

The extract derived from these leaves of the plant contains an alkaloid called ecliptin which is the main ingredient used in Siddha medicine preparations. It is resinous in nature.

Medicinal uses:

Karisalanganni is the main herb for the hair care and cirrhosis in ayurveda. It rejuvenates hair teeth, bones, memory, sight and hearing.

It works to rejuvenate the kidneys and liver. 

It manages graying and balding makes the hair thick and dark black .

Tip: The fresh leaves are ground and the extract filtered should be allowed to boil and concentrate with coconut oil 100 ml in flame until all the water content evaporated. The oil becomes greenish in colour. Allow to cool and store in a air tight bottles . Regular use of this oil all around the scalp and hair will accelerate the growth of shiny, dark healthy hair. It prevents hair loss and growth of gray hair. It is a coolant too. 

It promotes sound sleep. 

It is believed strongly as the enhancer of fair complexion.

The powder of the dried roots are used to prevent hepatitis, enlarged spleen and various skin diseases. Mixed with salt it relieves burning urine sensation. Mixed with a little coconut oil and applied to the head relieves headache.

It also prevents the miscarriage and abortion, It is reducing the post delivery pain.

the extract prepared out of its leaves is mixed with honey and given to infants and It acts as a de-wormer expelling the worms.

It manages urinary tract infections.

It treats well on the piles and relieves the pain.

It can be consumed regulary as tonic since it has antiaging properties as it rejuvenates the body cells.

Karisalangaanni is used extensively in siddha vaidyam for the treatment of various eye diseases and skin diseases.

The leaves of yellow karisalanganni are ground in a blender and the extract strained  and the gingelly oil in equal quantity should be allowed to boil for some time to evaporate the entire water content. After the bubbling ceases, allow to cool and store this oil in a container. Regular consumption of this oil of one spoon in the morning and night in empty stomach cures cough and throat infection.For children and babies, two drops of the juice with eight drops of honey is effective.

Gargling this juice of yellow karisalanganni is the best medicine for strengthening the teeth and gum and clearing the coat of the tongue.

The yellow herb is the specialist in curing the night blindness and improving vision since it contains high carotene content. 

This may be one of the reasons why traditionally Home made kajal is made by using the juice of these leaves.

Home made Kajal

Take a handful of white or yellow karisalanganni leaves after washing thoroughly in water. Crush between the palms of your hand. A black juice drips out. Take a small piece of clean whit cloth small piece and soak the cloth in the juice. Dry in the shad on a clean plate away from dust. Once it is dry. cut into stripes and shape as a wick. Fill a lamp made up of mud called akal vilakku with pure castor oil, place the wick and light. Take a copper vessel or mud pot and smear either the thick juice of karisalankanni paste at the bottom. Arrange three brickstones around the lamp and place the copper vessel or mud pot on it so that sufficient soot is deposited. This may take about two or three hours. When the soot is collected at the bottom, gently scrape it off the vessel and mix with ghee prepared in home from cow's milk.Wait till the ghee becomes cool and add one drop of ghee to the soot and mix well. half or one drop should do. Apparently kajal is made by traditional people or elder on sunday th day dedicated to the Sun god. The wick is supposed to be lit around 4 a.m. Note that all pre preparations should be made in the previous day itself and the work should be completed before sunrise. This kajal is prepared specially for the use of kajal to infants of the village people even nowadays.

Karisalankanni is also a specific remedy for jaundice. Both keelanelli and karisalanganni herbs can be taken together.

In the case of jaundice, about 10 gm of karisalanganni leaves are ground along with 2 gm of pepper to a fine paste. This is dissolved in buttermilk and consumed twice a day. In case of urinary infections, about 1/4 to 1/2 glass of the juice is had twice daily. 

Village people use this herb as keerai and they are making tasty side dishes by using the leaves of the karisalanganni herb. It has enormous health benefits.  Check this recipe as follows.

Karisalanganni kootu:

Take a bunch of manjal karisalankanni. Discard the stems after plucking the leaves. Wash and clean the leaves. Cut into small pieces. Add about 50 gm of toor dhal (thuvaram paruppu in Tamil), dehusked green gram (pasiparuppu in Tamil) and Mysore dhal. You can use combinations of these dhals in any quantity. Omit a variety you do not like. Add a little water. Cook in a pressure cooker. Remove from fire after the first "hiss". Open, set to boil and season with a little oil, mustard, cumin (jeerakam in Tamil), red chillies, asafoetida, and mor milakai (available in most stores, these are chillies soaked in curds and dried). Add salt to taste.

try this and add your regular diet

Karisalanganni thuvaiyal:

3/4 cup                                     Bhringaraj [ Karisalaankanni ]

1                                               Red Chilly

1 Tsp                                         chenna dal
t TSp                                        Black gram

6                                               Black Pepper

1/4 Tsp                                     Coriander seeds

3 cloves                                    Garlic

Small marble size                      Tamarind

1/2 Tsp                                   Salt [ adjust ]

1 Tsp                                      Gingelly oil [ till/sesame oil]
two tablespoon                         Fried coconut grates

• Wash karisalangkanni in water well and allow to dry.
• Keep aside.
• Keep a kadai with 1/2 tsp of oil over a slow flame.
• Fry red chilly, urad dal [ black gram ], coriander seeds and pepper.
• Transfer into a bowl.
• Now add 1/2 tsp of oil into the same kadai.
• Saute the leaves for 1 or two minutes or until the leaves become soft.
• Take care not to over cook and change the color of the leaves.
• Allow to cool down to room temperature.
• Grind into a smooth paste in a blender.

       Transfer into a serving bowl and eat with hot rice with ghee or gingelly oil.

Manjal Karisalanganni or white Karisalanganni plants are being sold in vegetable market.   They can be easily propagated. Ask the vegetable vendor to get the keerai for you. When still fresh , select one or many with three or four nodes. Plant the cutting with three or four nodes. Water profusely. The plant will root within ten days and is ready to be plucked in about two months. Harvest the top of the plants up to two or three nodes. New leaves will appear again. You can grow them in pots as well.