Medicinal use of Satyanashi or Argemone Mexicana (prickly poppy)

Argemone Mexicana or prickly poppy is annual medicinal shrub that is found almost throughout India. It can be easily found in parks, roadside or abandoned fields growing as weed. This herb exhibits antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity.

Argemone Mexicana or prickly poppy(satyanashi) is antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antioxidant and hepatoprotective used to treat many diseases in ayurvedic medicine.
Its leaves decoction is used to cure malarial fever, ulcers and skin problems. Its root is diuretic, alterative, anodyne and is used in chronic skin diseases. Its seeds are laxative, expectorant and demulcent. The juice of the plant are used in jaundice and skin problems. Its latex is used to treat cataract, reddening and itching in the eyes. Oil extracted from its seeds are very toxic and must not be consumed.

Prickly poppy plant description

• Botanical name: Argemone Mexicana Linn.
• Family: Papaveraceae
• Sanskrit: Brahmadandi, Hemavati, Hemadugdha
• Hindi: Pila-dhatura, Shialkanta, Bharbhand, Satyanashi
• English: Prickly poppy, Mexican poppy
• Bengali: Shialkanta
• Malayalam: Brahmdanti
• Gujarati: Darudi
• Marathi: Daruri
• Rajasthani: Dhaturi
• Oriya: Kantakusham
• Tamil: Karukkansedi
• Telugu: Brahmdandidandu

Here are few remedies that can be done at home to cure various clinical conditions using prickly poppy

• Impotency, infertility
  Take root of satyanashi. Make powder of it after cleaning. Take this powder with misri to cure impotence.
• Ascites, low urine output
  Take all parts (panchang) of this herb. Clean them and dry in shade. Grind to make powder. Take 10 gm powder in 200ml water. Cook at low flame till water reduces to 50 ml. Filter and drink twice a day.
• Skin diseases
  Take powder of satyanashi. Soak in water at night and next morning boil in water and drink.
• Psoriasis, eczema, skin problems
  Take fresh satyanashi plant. Clean it and grind to extract its juice. Cook this juice in mustard oil (ratio 2:1) till all water evaporates and only oil is left. Apply this oil externally on the affected area.
• Boils, ulcers, warts
  Take latex of Argemone and apply externally on boils.
• Ringworm infections (daad khaj khujli)
  Boil fresh leaves in water. Filter and use it to wash affected area.