Periwinkle

An Invaluable Medicinal Plant 

Periwinkle is a common ornamental plant grown in the gardens of residential and official compounds. It is scientifically known as Catharanthus roseus synonym Vinca rosea and belongs to the Apocynaceae family of flowering plants. Periwinkle is native of South-eastern and eastern Madagascar found growing as wild plant species in rain forest.

 The other common name of the plant includes Madagascar periwinkle, Rosy periwinkle, Cape periwinkle, Rose periwinkle and “Old-maid”. 

In India periwinkle is known with different names. In Hindi it is known as Sadabahaar, in Bengali as Nayantara, in Marathi as Sadaphuli, in Malayalam as Shavam Naari and in Tamil as Nityhakalyani. 

Chemical constituents

Rosinidin is an anthocyanidin pigment found in the flowers of C. roseus.  
Vinca rosea contains 2 classes of active compounds, the alkaloids and the tannins. More than 100 alkaloids have been found in this plant of which vincristine and vinblastine are most notable for their medicinal benefits.
Vincristine and vinblastine, chemotherapy medications used to treat a number of types of cancers, are also found in the plant.  

Medicinal attributes:

Periwinkle is a plant of immense medicinal value. 

 All part of the plant is medicinally important, however alkaloids are mostly concentrated in the root bark. These include three important alkaloids of Rauvolfia group i.e. ajmalicine, reserpine and serpentine. 

In addition to these, the other important alkaloids found are vindoline, vincristine and vinblastin.

Some of the health benefits of Sadabahar, periwinkle or vinca rosea plant are : 

• The leaves and stems are a source of alkaloids that have anti tumor and anti cancer properties.
• The leaves are used to control diabetes and high blood pressure.
• The alkaloids also offer sedative and tranquilizing properties. 
• It relieves muscle pain and depression. 
• Because of its property of detoxification and counteracting poison it is used to relieve wasp stings. 
• Sadabahar controls nosebleeds, bleeding gums, mouth ulcers and sore throats. 
• It is useful in treating gastritis, cystitis, enteritis, diarrhea, diabetes, etc when taken internally.  
  
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• The vinca rosea plant ensures brain health. Its active ingredients improve blood supply to the brain, increase the level of oxygen that the brain can utilize. It also raises serotonin levels and prevents abnormal coagulation of blood.  
• The alkaloid vincamine keeps the blood thin and has memory enhancing properties. It is therefore useful in preventing dementia, especially vascular dementia. periwinkle leaves and flowers are very effective in treating diabetes.
  
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  • Periwinkle has traditionally been used as a folk remedy for diabetes in South Africa while in traditional Chinese medicine the extracts of the plant have been used against malaria.  
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  • REFERENCES

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    8.http://www.technoayurveda.com/Sadabahar.html
    9.http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/20/7/1016.full.pdf
    10.http://www.ehow.com/list_6577188_uses-vinca-rosea.html