Elsholtzia fruticosa, ji gu chai

 

Elsholtzia fruticosa (D.Don) Rehder
Family: Lamiaceae

Synonyms: Aphanochilus fruticosus (D.Don) Kudô, Aphanochilus polystachyus Benth., Buddleja plectranthoidea H.Lév., Colebrookea oppositifolia Lodd., Elsholtzia dielsii H.Lév., Elsholtzia fruticosa var. fruticosa, Elsholtzia fruticosa var. glabrifolia C.Y.Wu & S.C.Huang, Elsholtzia fruticosa f. inclusa Y.Z.Sun, Elsholtzia fruticosa f. leptostachya C.Y.Wu & S.C.Huang, Elsholtzia fruticosa var. parvifolia C.Y.Wu & S.C.Huang, Elsholtzia fruticosa var. paucidentata Hand.-Mazz., Elsholtzia polystachya Benth., Elsholtzia tristis H.Lév. & Vaniot, Leucosceptrum plectranthoideum (H.Lév.) Marquand, Perilla fruticosa D.Don.

Chinese:  ji gu chai
Other Indian names:  jaunkra,  nirpathe,  potha,  pothi,  pothu  jaunkra, rangchari

Descripton: Shrubs erect, 0.8-2 m tall, much branched. Stems and branches yellow- or purple-brown, white floccose-pilose, glabrescent, bark exfoliating. Petiole short to obsolete; leaf blade elliptic-lanceolate to oblong, 6-13 × 2-3.5 cm, densely yellow glandular, adaxially strigose, abaxially curved pubescent or glabrous except for sparsely puberulent veins, base narrowly cuneate, margin coarsely serrate except for entire base, apex acuminate; lateral veins 6-8 paired, prominent abaxially. Spikes cylindric, 6-20 × to 1.3 cm in flower, base ± interrupted, mostly densely pubescent; verticillasters short pedunculate, many flowered; bracts mostly lanceolate to subulate, shorter than verticillasters. Pedicel 0.5-2 mm. Calyx campanulate, ca. 1.5 mm, gray pubescent; teeth triangular-subulate, ca. 0.5 mm, subequal; fruiting calyx tubular, ca. 3 × 1 mm, conspicuously veined. Corolla white to yellowish, ca. 5 mm, floccose outside, golden glandular, hairy annulate inside; tube ca. 4 mm, ca. 1 mm wide at base, to 2 mm wide at throat; upper lip erect, ca. 0.5 mm, apex emarginate; middle lobe of lower lip circular, ca. 1 mm; lateral lobes semicircular. Nutlets brown, oblong, ca. 1.5 × 0.5 mm, adaxially ribbed, apex obtuse. Fl. Jul-Sep, fr. Oct-Nov.

Whole plant for bruises and wounds, a poultice; flowering tops taken as diuretic. Flowers for dysentery. Fruits eaten to get rid of constipation. Leaves as insect repellent, botanical insecticides. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]

Published articles of Elsholtzia fruticosa



1. Supercritical CO_2 Fluid Extraction of Elsholtzia Fruticosa and GC/MS Analysis
By: KANG Shuhe; SHI Yongqing
Journal of Chinese Mass Spectrometry Society  Volume: 30   Issue: 1   Pages: 36-40   Article Number: 1004-2997(2009)30:1<36:cljc2c>2.0.TX;2-U   Published: 2009

2. Analysis of essential oils from different organs of Elsholtzia fruticosa (D. Don) Rehd
By: Wang Xue-fen; Wang Zhe-zhi
Xibei Zhiwu Xuebao  Volume: 28   Issue: 3   Pages: 606-610   Published: MAR 2008

3. Medicinal liquor of elsholtzia fruticosa for curing the diseases of rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic numbness, arthroncus and arthralgia comprises shuanglingcao, achras zapota, ardisia gigantifolia, saussurea involucrate and acer mono Maxim
Patent Number: CN1813909-A
Patent Assignee: LAN Z
Inventor(s): LAN Z.

4. Medicated liquor of elsholtzia fruticosa root for curing rheumatic arthritis, traumatic injuries and arthralgia has Chinese medicinal material shuanglingcao, zijinpi, yeshangzhu root and ardisia crenata cissus hastata
Patent Number: CN1742894-A; CN100342886-C
Patent Assignee: LAN Z
Inventor(s): LAN Z.