nirgundi :
CONCLUSION:
Vitex negundo (nirgundi, in Sanskrit and Hindi) is a deciduous shrub naturalized in many
parts of the world. Some consider it to have originated in India and the Philippines. There
is no reference to nirgundi in the Vedas, while several references occur in post-Vedic
works. In India, the plant has multifarious uses: basketry, dyeing, fuel, food, stored-grain
protectant, fi eld pesticide, growth promoter, manure, as medicine for poultry, livestock, and
humans. It is used in all systems of treatment – Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy, and
Allopathy. It is commonly used in folk medicine in India, Bangladesh, China, Philippines,
Sri Lanka, and Japan. True to its meaning in Sanskrit (that which keeps the body free from
all diseases), it is used to treat a plethora of ailments, ranging from headache to migraine,
from skin affections to wounds, and swelling, asthmatic pains, male and female sexual and
reproductive problems. Referred to as sindhuvara in Ayurveda, nirgundi has been used as
medicine since ancient times. It is taken in a variety of ways, both internally and externally.
The whole plant, leaves, leaf oil, roots, fruits, and seeds are administered in the treatment of
specifi c diseases. However, in Ayurveda, the leaves, roots, and bark are the most important
parts.
