संस्कृत नाम- शङ्खपुष्पी
Botanical name - Canscora decussata
Description - Herb, 15 to 35 cm; stem narrowly 4-winged; leaves elliptic-lanceolate, 2-3 by 1.0-1.5 cm, 3-nerved, base rounded to acute, apex gradually acute; cymes dichasiad, axillary or terminal, peduncles 2.5 cm, pedicel 1 cm, winged; flowers white; capsules obscurely two-valved, 1.5 by 0.4 cm,; seeds angular.
Chemical_Constituents- Aerial parts contain gluanone, canscoradione, friedelin, sterols, xanthones. Flowering tops contain xanthones.
Uses - Fresh juice prescribed in insanity, epilepsy and nervous debility TRIBES OF SANTAL PARGANAS : Stem in stomachache, as blood purifier; Plant : laxative, alterative and nerve tonic; Fresh juice of plant : prescribed in insanity, epilepsy and nervous debility. Modern use : Root : anti-inflammatory, Central Nervous System depressant; Whole plant: fertility control by spermicidal activity in human semen.