Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa) or hogweed is one of the best diuretics known among a variety of herbs mentioned in the Ayurvedic text. Punarnava as its name suggests means tendency to rejuvenate or ‘bring back to life’. Punarnava (Hogweed) grows wild as a creeper which dries during the summer. The plant is bitter, stomachic, laxative, diuretic, expectorant, diaphoretic, and emetic. Root is purgative, anthelmintic and febrifuge. There are two varieties of Punarnava, one with a red flower known as Rakta Punarnava and the other with white flower called Sweta Punaranava. The white variety is efficient in oedema, anaemia, heart diseases, cough, and intestinal colic. The red variety is beneficial in oedema, haemorrhage, anaemia, and biliousness.
- Punarnava corrects the digestive system, alleviates fluid retention and is very useful in managing heart diseases.
- Punarnava is also called as Ashmarighana i.e., it helps to flush out renal stones from the kidney, it works very well on the urinary system. It is Shothagna i.e., alleviates oedema. Its leaves are anti-inflammatory in action and so external application is done in localized inflammation.
- Punarnava also benefits in anemia, hernia, and respiratory distress.
- It can also be taken in liver problems and managing lipids and cholesterol in healthy limits.
- Pulp of Punarnava and ginger is used in ascites and generalized oedema.
- Medicated oil or ghee i.e., Punarnava taila or ghee are also used in hepatitis.
- The paste prepared out of the plant is applied in leprosy and skin diseases and as a decoction in stone in the kidney and in oedema.
- Local application of the root paste is beneficial in rat-bite, diseases of eye, insomnia, and rheumatism.
- The plant juice is used in treatment of jaundice, cirrhosis of liver, ascites, urethritis and asthma.
- Juice of leaves with honey is dropped into the eyes in chronic ophthalmia.
- The drug proved useful as a haematinic and growth promoter in children fed with milk fortified with it.
- It is a very good nerve rejuvenator, and it is given in cases of sciatica or nervous weakness or evenparalysis condition
Important Formulations of Punarnava
- Punarnavastaka Kashaya – nephritic syndrome, cough, jaundice, breathing difficulties
- Punarnava mandura – anaemia, oedema
- Punarnavadi Kashaya – burning micturition, scanty urine, oedema, urinary calculi
- Root decoction – is indicated in gonorrhoea and other internal inflammatory disorders
Punaranava is a drug which can become a game changer for Ayurveda in the future due to easy availability, ability to convert into different types of preparation like its kwatha, choorna, taila, gudika etc and palatability.
