Shankhpushpi botanical name is Convolvulus pluricaulis, it is a perennial medicinal herb. This plant is found throughout India, ascending to 2000 m in the Himalayas. Shankhpushpi is a brain tonic that effectively treats nervine disorders, mental aberration, anxiety neurosis, internal hemorrhages, spermatorrhoea, and numerous other diseases. It has an astringent, antidysenteric, antispasmodic, antiphlogistic, febrifuge, and alterative properties.
Shankhpushpi plant Botanical details
- Botanical name: Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy, Synonym: C. microphyllus Sieb.;C. prostratus Forsk.
- Family: Convolvulaceae
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Order: Solanales
- Family: Gentianaceae
- Genus: Convolvulus
- Species: MIcrophyllus
Common Names of Shankhpushpi
- Ayurvedic: Shankhapushpi, Shankhaahvaa, Kshirapushpi, Maangalya Kusuma (white flowered). Blue flowered var., Vishnukraanti, Vishnukraantaa
- Unani: Sankhaahuli (blue-flowered)
- Siddha/Tamil: Sivakraandi (white-flowered), Vishnukraandi (blue-flowered).
- SANSKRIT: Laghuvishnukranta, Nail Pusher, Nilasankhapuspi, Sankhapuspi, Convolvulus pluricaulis, Vaishnava, Vishnugandhi, Vishnukranthi, Vishnukranthi, Vishnukanta
- HINDI: Shankhpushpi, Shyamakranta, Syamakranta, Vishnukanta, Shankhpushpi, Phooli, Shankaveli, Shankhpushpi, Shnkhahuli
- ENGLISH: English speed wheel
- URDU: Sankhali
- BENGALI: Barabhutra
- KANNADA: Vishnukranthi, Vishnukranthi, Visnukranti, Convolvulus pluricaulis
- MALAYALAM: Krsna Kranti, Vishnukranthi, Vishnukranthi, Vishnukranthi, Visnuklanti, Visnukranti, Vishnu clandi
- MARATHI: Shankavall, Vishnukranthi, Shankhavali, Vishnukanta, Samkvel
- ORIYA: Krishna-enkranti
- TAMIL: Vishnu kanthi, Visnukiranti, Vittunukkiranti, Vittunumuli, Aparaci, Piracetam, Vishnukranthi, Vishnukranthi, Vishnukranthi
- TELUGU: Vishnukranthi, Vishnukranthi, Vishnukranthi, Visnukrantamu, Vishnukranthi, Erravishnukaraantha
- TIBETAN: Khalsa pus syi (d), Sa nkhapu spa Shankhpushpi or Convolvulus pluricaulis
Know other plants know as Shankhpushpi
In Ayurveda, there are various medicinal drugs which are useful in improving memory, learning, concentration, intelligence, and brain function. In such medicine, certain medicinal herbs are used that are known for nootropic effect. Shankhpushpi is one such medicinal herb. It is mainly used for treating brain-related disorders such as anxiety, stress, loss of memory/dementia, mental fatigue, insomnia/sleeplessness, low IQ and similar brain problems.
Mainly there are four different plant species that are identified to be used as Shankhpushpi. These are listed below.
- Evolvulous alsinoides. Linn.
- Convolvulus pluricaulis. Choisy
- Clitorea ternatea. Linn
- Canscora decussate. Schultz
For preparing medicines to cure brain problems, memory loss, etc. different pharmacies use different plant species. For example, Himalaya Mentat contains Evolvulus alsinoides, Patanjali Diyva Medhavati contains Convolvulus pluricaulis, and Brainokan (Kangra Herbs) contains Convolvulus pluricaulis.
Shankhapushpi Dosage Information
Shankhpushpi is a nootropic drug of Ayurveda. Nootropics are psychotropic drugs which have a facilitatory effect on integrative functions of the CNS/central nervous system, intellectual performance, learning capability, and memory. Shankhpushpi is useful in improving memory, intelligence, mood, and behavior. It is used alone or in a combination of other medicinal herbs. Here is given a dosage of such few Ayurvedic medicines.
- Fresh Juice of whole Shankhpushpi plant: 20-30 ml twice a day.
- Dried powder of whole Shankhpushpi plant: 3-6 grams twice a day.
- Shankhpushpi sharbat: 15-20 ml twice/thrice a day.
- Brahmi Rasayana: 1 teaspoonful twice a day.
- Medhya Rasayana: 5-10 grams twice a day.
- Saraswatarishta: 15-30 ml with an equal quantity of water
- Shankhpushpi Taila/oil: for External use only. Apply on the affected areas.
Shankhpushpi Medicinal Usage
- For improving memory, brain power and Shankhpushpi for treating mental fatigue
Take Shankhpushpi powder (3 to 6 grams) with milk every morning. - Enhancing intellect in kids
Take Shankhpushpi powder (2 to 4 grams) with Sweet Flag/bach powder (1 gm). - Treating Epilepsy, excessive menstruation
Take Shankhpushpi juice 2 ml with honey. - Treating hysteria, delirium, and epilepsy
Mix powders of Shankhpushpi, Sweet flag/bach and Brahmi in equal quantities. Take 3 gm of this powder twice a day. - Headache
Take Shankhpushpi powder (1 gram), Black Henbane/Hyoscyamus niger 250 milligrams with hot water. - Bed Wetting
Prepare powder by mixing Shankhpushpi powder (2 grams) and black sesame/kale til (1 gram). Take this powder with milk. - High blood pressure
Take fresh juice of Shankhpushpi 10-20 ml every morning and evening for some days. - Diabetes
Take Shankhpushpi powder (5 grams) or Shankhpushpi juice (10-15 ml). - Vomiting
Take Shankhpushpi juice 2 tsp, black pepper powder and mix in honey. Take frequently. - Skin problems, and reducing wrinkles
Take Shankhpushpi powder (2 to 4 grams) with honey/misri.
Shankhpushpi Sharbat for healthy Brain
Shankhpushpi Sharbat is a herbal preparation. It is a brain tonic and useful in curing various problems related to the brain such as poor memory, mental fatigue, insomnia, etc. For preparing Shankhpushpi Sharbat, herbs Shankhpushpi (125 gm) and Brahmi (30 gm) are soaked in three-liter water at night. Next morning this is cooked till one-liter water get evaporated. Then it is filtered and five-kilogram sugar, preservative, and color are added to get Shankhpushpi Sharbat.
Shankhpushpi Sharbat is manufactured by various Ayurvedic pharmacies. Some pharmacies add Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Shatavari, etc.to make it more effective.
Ingredients of Shankhpushpi Sharbat
Shankhpushpi, Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Shatavari
Uses of Shankhpushpi Sharbat
- Brain Tonic
- Stress, anxiety, tension, stress
- Insomnia/sleeplessness
- Weak memory/forgetfulness, Dementia, poor concentration
- Headache due to mental work
- Epilepsy, mania, hysteria, nervous debility
The dosage of Shankhpushpi Sharbat
Mix 10-20 ml of Shankhpushpi Sharbat with a sufficient amount of water and drink twice a day.