Veldt Grape – Hadjod Remedies: Fracture, Burns, Joint Pain

By Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu) PhD.

Introduction

Veldt Grape – Cissus quandrangularis is a well known calcium rich herb, often used as vegetable. It is widely used for the treatment of fractured bones and osteo arthritis. 

It belongs to Vitaceae family. It is called Asthishrinkhala or Asthisamharaka in Sanskrit.
Whole plant is used in treatment where as the stem is most used part with rich calcium.

It is used as a vegetable in remote parts of Kerala, Andhra pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka by the rural Indians. it is applied externally also for treating inflammatory conditions.
In West Bengal it is used in the form of chutney to the patients of haemorrhoids.
Read related: Hadjod: Cissus quadrangularis Uses, Dose, Research, Side Effects

Chemical constituents

Main chemical constituents are – Quercetin and Kaempferol, Resveratrol and piceatannol.

Home remedies

Few simple and effective remedies of Ashthishrinkhala are referred here below-

Throat irritation

1. Fresh juice of the stem with honey for throat irritation and hoarseness of the voice :
Stems are collected and fresh juice is obtained. One teaspoon of the juice is mixed with a teaspoon of honey and taken by licking. This pacifies cough, throat irritation and hoarseness of the voice.

Fractures

2. Veldt Grape Fine paste of the stem with egg white plaster over the fine fractures:
The stems of the plant are made into fine paste by grinding with egg albumin. This fine paste is applied over the area of fracture and bandaged. This helps to bind and heal the fractured area at the earliest. This is a very ancient bandage procedure of the folk practice.

Burns, scalds

3. Veldt Grape Leaf juice mixed with lime water for burns and scalds:
Fresh leaves are taken and macerated well with lime water. This juice is poured over the area of the burns and scalds immediately after the incidence; this prevents from boils and blisters.

Fatigue, joint pain

4. Fine powder of the stem for fatigue, joint pain:
The stems of Hadjod are taken and dried. This is powdered and stored. 2-3 gram of the powder is taken along with a teaspoon of honey twice daily. This acts as a natural calcium supplement and hence helps to fight fatigue, lethargy, aches and pains in forearm, legs and joints. It is also used for the treatment of perimenopausal syndrome.

Fracture healing

5. Decoction added with jaggery or honey for accelerate the healing and fracture conditions:
From the coarse powder of the dried stem of Cissus quadrangularis plant decoction is made. This is administered twice daily in the dose of 15-20 ml .This accelerate the healing and fracture conditions.
General method of decoction preparation is –
1 tablespoon (10 grams) of coarse powder of the herb is added with 2 cups of water. Boiled in open air till the total content is reduced to 1 cup. This is filtered and used.

Many herbs which were earlier used as vegetables are no more in usage these days. Instead, new more vegetables have taken incarnation and used abundantly. In fact we do not know much regarding the uses and restrictions of such exotic vegetables few of which are not of our country or not suitable to us. Asthi Shrinkhala was a used as vegetable hundreds of years back and still existing practices justify it. Hereafter we have to search for such herbs which our ancients used to practice as vegetable and appreciate its health benefits in large.
Click to consult Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu), PhD