Clitoria ternatea

Clitoria ternatea
	Clitoria ternatea vine
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Clitoria
Species:	C. ternatea
Binomial name
	Clitoria ternatea; L.

Clitoria ternatea (sanskrit : ''श्वेतां, विष्णूक्रांता, )is a plant species belonging to the Fabaceae family.

Distribution

This plant is native to tropical equatorial Asia, but has been introduced to Africa, Australia and the New World.

Description

It is a perennial herbaceous plant. Its leaves are elliptic and obtuse. It grows as a vine or creeper, doing well in moist neutral soil. The most striking feature about this plant are its vivid deep blue flowers. They are solitary, with light yellow markings. They are about 4 cm long by 3 cm wide. There are some varieties that yield white flowers.

The fruits are 5 - 7 cm long, flat pods with 6 to 10 seeds in each pod. They are edible when tender.

It is grown as an ornamental plant and as a revegetation species (e.g., in coal mines in Australia), requiring little care when cultivated. Its roots fix nitrogen and therefore this plant is also used to improve soil quality.

Uses

In Southeast Asia the flowers are used to colour food. In Malay cooking, an aqueous extract is used to colour glutinous rice for kuih ketan (also known as pulut tai tai in Peranakan/Nyonya cooking) and in nonya chang. In Thailand, a syrupy blue drink is made called nam dok anchan (น้ำดอกอัญชัน). In Burma the flowers are used as food, often they are dipped in batter and fried.

In animal tests the methanolic extract of Clitoria ternatea roots demonstrated nootropic, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant and antistress activity..^[1]The active constituent(s) include Tannins, resins, Starch, Taraxerol & Taraxerone.

Clitoria ternatea root extracts are capable of curing whooping cough if taken orally^{[citation needed]}. The extract from the white-flowered plant can cure goiter. Its roots are used in ayurveda Indian medicine.^[2]

Names

The flowers of this vine have the shape of human female pudenda, hence the Latin name of the genus "Clitoria", from "clitoris". (Synonyms: Clitoris principissae.)^[3] "Ternatea", the name of the species, comes from Ternate, a location in Indonesia.^{[citation needed]} In some languages (Tamil, Malayalam) it is named after the seashell, which is a euphemism for a woman's external sexual organs.^{[citation needed]}

Owing to its similarity to a human body part, this plant has been ascribed properties affecting the same (a phenomenon also found in connection with the mandrake, among other plants). It was used traditionally to cure sexual ailments, like infertility and gonorrhea, to control menstrual discharge, and also as an aphrodisiac. This practice is rooted in an ancient belief recorded in the Doctrine of Signatures.^[4]

Some common names are:

Template:Lang-dv
Template:Lang-en
Hindi: Aparajita (अपराजिता)
Template:Lang-bn
Kannada: Nagar hedi
Malay: Bunga telang
Malayalam: ശംഖുപുഷ്പം (Sankhupushpam)
Marathi: गोकर्ण (Gokarna)
Portuguese: Fula criqua
Sanskrit: Sankhapushpi (शंखपुष्पी), aparajita (अपराजिता), saukarnika , ardrakarni, girikarnika (गिरिकर्णिका), supuspi (सुपुष्पी), mohanasini (मोह्नाशिनी), vishadoshaghni (विषदोषघ्नी), shwetanama (श्वेतनामा)., Vishnukranta (विष्णुक्रांता), ashwakhura (अश्वखुरा)}
Template:Lang-ta
Template:Lang-th (dok anchan)
Bahasa Indonesia: Bunga telang, bunga teleng, bunga biru
Template:Si icon: Katarodu, katarolu (normally specify with colour "Nil" for blue or purple and "Sudu" for white)

References

^ Jain, N (2003). "Clitoria ternatea and the CNS". Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior. 75: 529. doi:10.1016/S0091-3057(03)00130-8.
^ "APARËJITË (Root)". The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (Part I Volume II). Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. pp. 10–11. {{cite book}}: External link in |title= (help)
^ Pharmacopia Indica Awl
^ Fantz, Paul R. (1991). "Ethnobotany of Clitoria (Leguminosae)". Economic Botany. 45 (4). New York Botanical Garden Press: 511–20. doi:10.1007/BF02930715. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |doi_brokendate= ignored (|doi-broken-date= suggested) (help)

External links

"Plant of the Week—Clitoria ternatea". Retrieved 2007-07-31.
"Clitoria ternatea". Tropical Forages. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
Caldecott, Todd (2006). Ayurveda: The Divine Science of Life. Elsevier/Mosby. ISBN 0723434107. Contains a detailed monograph on Clitoria ternatea (Shankhapushpi) as well as a discussion of health benefits and usage in clinical practice. Available online at http://www.toddcaldecott.com/index.php/herbs/learning-herbs/330-shankapushpi

[1] Jain, N (2003). "Clitoria ternatea and the CNS". Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior. 75: 529. doi:10.1016/S0091-3057(03)00130-8.

[2] "APARËJITË (Root)". The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (Part I Volume II). Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. pp. 10–11. {{cite book}}: External link in |title= (help)

[3] Pharmacopia Indica Awl

[4] Fantz, Paul R. (1991). "Ethnobotany of Clitoria (Leguminosae)". Economic Botany. 45 (4). New York Botanical Garden Press: 511–20. doi:10.1007/BF02930715. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |doi_brokendate= ignored (|doi-broken-date= suggested) (help)

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