Bio Diversity Park

Common Name : Periwinkle, Vinca

Hindi Name : सदाबहार | Scientific Name : Catharanthus roseus
Family : Apocynaceae
Uses : In Ayurveda the extracts of its roots and shoots, though poisonous, is used against several diseases. In traditional Chinese medicine, extracts from it have been used against numerous diseases, including diabetes, malaria, and Hodgkin's lymphoma. The smooth and glossy leaves, the substances vinblastine and vincristine extracted from the plant are used in the treatment of leukaemia and Hodgkin's lymphoma. Its leaves and flowers are used to control blood sugar levels. The fresh juice of sadabahar flower acts as good remedy for nasal and mouth bleeding. The alkaloids present in sadabahar plant help in improving blood supply to the brain and increase the level of the oxygen in the brain. Its vasodilating and memory-enhancing properties have been shown to alleviate vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The fresh juice from the leaves of C. roseus made into a tea has been used by Ayurvedic physicians in India for external use to treat skin problems, dermatitis, eczema and acne.
Native: Madagascar and Southern Asia
General Description:

It is a perennial small herb or sub-shrub which grows in adverse conditions, rain, heat, dust. It can be quite often seen growing out of cervices of walls. It is an evergreen sub-shrub or herbaceous plant growing 1m tall. The leaves are oval to oblong, 2.5–9cm long and 1–3.5cm broad, glossy green, hairless, with a pale midrib and a short leaf-stalk 1–1.8cm long; they are arranged in opposite pairs. The flowers are white to dark pink with a darker red centre, with a basal tube 2.5–3cm long and a flower 2–5cm diameter with five petal-like lobes. The fruit is a pair of follicles 2–4cm long and 3mm broad. Lots of cultivars have been developed with various colours, from red to white.