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Medicinal Plant details |
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Information |
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| Sanskrit Name |
Doorva, Haritali (WOA, 1998). |
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| Common name in English |
Bermudagrass, Common stargrass, Baramagrass, Dhubgrass, Devilgrass, Bahamas grass, dhoub, kiri-hiri, African couch, star grass, kweek grass
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| Botanical Name |
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.
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| Historical Accounts |
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. is called bermudagrass in the United States because an early introduction came from the Bermuda Island. Other names include wiregrass, couchgrass, and devilgrass. C. dactylon is mentioned in early history. To the Hindu, it was a sacred grass because it supported their cattle. Graeco-Roman pharmacopeia described expressed juice from bermudagrass stolons as a diuretic and an astringent to stop bleeding |
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| Parts Used |
Whole herb |
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| Human Medicinal Usage |
In traditional medicine system, crushed leaves are applied to minor wounds as a styptik to stop bleeding. In Indian systems of medicine, it is given in eye disorders and weak vision, for which, the afflicted are advised to walk bare foot on dew drops spread over lawn of the plant each morning. According to Ayurveda, the plant is pungent, bitter, fragrant, heating, appetizer, vulnerary, anthelmintic, antipyretic, alexiteric, destroys foulness of breath, useful in leucoderma, bronchitis, piles, asthma, tumors, and enlargement of the spleen. It is considered bitter, sharp hot taste, good odor, laxative, brain and heart tonic, aphrodisiac, alexipharmic, emetic, emmenagogue, expectorant, carminative and useful against grippe in children, and for pains, inflammations, and toothache in Unani medicine system. Virus-affected discolored leaves are used for the treatment of liver complaints. It is said to be useful in the treatment of all types of bleeding and skin troubles in Homoeopathic medicine systems. It is reported to be alterative, anecbolic, antiseptic, aperient, astringent, cyanogenetic, demulcent, depurative, diuretic, emollient, sudorific and vulnerary.
The plant is widely used in folk remedy for anasarca, calculus, cancer, carbuncles, convulsions, cough, cramps, cystitis, diarrhoea, dropsy, dysentery, epilepsy, headache, hemorrhage, hypertension, hysteria, insanity, kidneys, laxative, measles, rubella, snakebite, sores, stones, tumors, urinogenital disorders, warts, and wounds. Doorva (Cynodon dactylon) is effective in Diuretic, bleeding, piles, cuts & wounds (Subramanian & Nagarajan, 1988; Agraval, 1992; Ahmed et al., 1994; Artizzu et al., 1996; Chandra et al., 2002). |
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| Veterinary Medicinal Usage |
The goats are fed on pods of 'velvalan' (Acacia leucophloea), 'arugampul' (Cynodon dactylon) and pods of 'velikaruvai' (Prosopis juliflora). The meat of such animals is superior in taste and quality. Turmeric powder, tender leaves of neem, common salt and leaves of Cynodon dactylon are made into paste to be applied over the blisters in the mouth of cattle (Anonymous, 1995). A handful of leaves of each plant, namely, 'siriyanangai' (Polygala grinerisis), 'periyanangai' (Andrographis alata), 'kottagasalai', 'kuppaimeni' (Acalypha indica), 'arugampul' (Cynodon dactylon) are to be ground into paste. The mixture is added to 100 ml of neem oil and 200 ml of warm water and admimistered in case of poisonous bite (Vivekanandan, 1996).
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| Agriculture Usage |
Soil is more fertile if `Dharo' (Cynodon dactylon) grow naturally in the field. This type of field is preferred for growing of crops requiring more plant nutrients like cotton, castor etc. It is considered as an indicator of the soil fertility (Patel, 1992).
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| Other Usage |
It is considered a valuable pasture and excellent fodder grass, staying green even during hot weather. It can grow in very diverse conditions of soil and moisture, withstanding drought well and also tending to eliminate other plants. It has good fodder value also in comparison to other grasses, also used for hay and ensilage. It is also valuable for soil conservation. The plant has capability to resist drought, hence considered for lawn and turf. Used in Ganesh pooja (Khedkar, 1997). The Bodo tribe uses the tender leaves of Bhatai tita (Phlogacanthus tubiflorus), jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), mango (Mangifera indica) and lawn grass (Cynodon dactylon) for yeast formation (Jain, 1998).
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| Synonyms |
Panicum dactylon L., Capriola dactylon (L.) Kuntze (ITIS, 2004)
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| Family |
Poaceae (Graminae) |
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| Description |
Hard, creeping, stoloniferous, often rhizomatous perennial grass; stem giving rice long, rooting at nodes; sterile shoots upto 25 cm high. Leaves 2.5-18.5 x 0.2-0.6 cm, linear-lanceolate, acute, flat or sometimes folded or convolute, more or less glaucous, soft, smooth, conspicuously distichous; sheaths bearded at the mouth; ligule a rim of fine, white hairs. Flowers: in spikes at the top of peduncle; rachis slender, compressed. Spikelets 1-flowered, flat, 2-2.5 mm long, awnless, crowded, second; glumes unequal, lanceolate, 1-nerved. Lemma obliquely oblong, silky pubescent on the keel..Seeds: oblong, turgid.
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| Common Name in India |
Dhub, doob, harialil (Hindi); Durba (Bengali); Garikoihallu (Kannara); Durva (Marathi); Arugampullu (Tamil); Garikagoddi (Telugu); Dhubkhabbal (Punjabi) (WOA, 1998).
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| Habitat |
Plants occur mostly near habitation, along roadsides and edges of water course, also grown in gardens, temples etc.
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| Rainfall |
Plant grows almost any place with more than 600 mm of annual rainfall. |
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| Soil (Physical/Chemical) |
Found on many types of soils, particularly in the pH above 5.5 and moderate to high fertility. |
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| Regional Distribution |
Grows extensively in various part of India, planted in lawns and sacred places.
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| Global Distribution |
Probably it is a native to East Africa, now found throughout the world in temperate, tropical and subtropical regions including sea coasts, S. India, Ceylon and tropical Africa.
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| Harvest |
Harvesting is done for hay 4 times in a year when appears in full blooming. When properly made and stocked, hay keeps well for many years. Cutting is made regularly in the lawns when recquired. |
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| Chemical composition |
Analysis results show per 100 g wet matter containing 11.6 g protein, 2.1 g fat, 75.9 g total carbohydrate, 25.9 g fiber, 10.4 g ash, 530 mg Ca, 220 mg P, 112.0 mg Fe, 1630 mg K, 28 ug beta-carotene equivalent (Miller, 1958). Cynodin, hydrocyanic acid, and triticin contents extracted from the grass.
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REFERENCES |
| SR No. |
NAME |
ARTICLE TITLE |
AUTHOR |
PLACE OF PUBLICATION |
VOLUME/ISSUE |
YEAR |
PUBLISHER |
COMMENT |
| 1 |
Sachitra Ayurved. |
Cynodon dactylon (Hindi nam - durva, dub). |
Agraval, KP. |
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44(10): 660. |
1992. |
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| 2 |
Fitoterapia. |
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Ahmed, S, Reza, MS, Haider, SS, Jabbar, A. 1994. Antimicrobial activity of Cynodon dactylon. |
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65(5): 463-464. |
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| 3 |
Fitoterapia. |
Antimicrobial activity of Cynodon dactylon. |
Ahmed, S, Reza, MS, Haider, SS, Jabbar, A. |
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65(5): 463-464. |
1994. |
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| 4 |
Fitoterapia. |
Studies on the diuretic and antimicrobial activity of Cynodon dactylon essential oil. |
Artizzu, N, Bonsignore, L, Cottiglia, F, Loy, G. |
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67(2): 174-176. |
1996. |
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| 5 |
Sachitra Ayurved. |
Ausadhopayogi trnamul. |
Candra, Subhas, Katiyar, RS, Sukla, PN. |
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55(6): 437-440. |
2002. |
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| 6 |
ITIS. 2004.
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| 7 |
Fitoterapia. |
Wound healing activity of Pongamia pinnata and Cynodon dactylon. |
Subramanian, S, Nagarajan, S. |
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59(1): 43-44. |
1988 |
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| 8 |
Indian Journal of Pharmacology. |
Analgesic and antipyretic activities of Dalbergia sissoo leaves |
Hajare, S.W., S. Chandra, S,S.K. Tandan, SK, J. Sarma, J,J. Lal, J, and A.G. Telang, AG. |
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32, (6,): 357-360. |
(2000) |
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| 9 |
Indian Journal of Pharmacology. |
Analgesic and antipyretic activities of Dalbergia sissoo leaves |
Hajare, S.W., S. Chandra, S,S.K. Tandan, SK, J. Sarma, J,J. Lal, J, and A.G. Telang, AG. |
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32, (6,): 357-360. |
(2000) |
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| 10 |
WOA |
The Wealth of Asia |
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New Delhi |
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1998 |
National Institute of Science Communication, CSIR |
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