Indian Mallow: Best Herb for Strength and Weight Gain (Abutilon Indicum)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

The plant Bala and /atibala are collectively known as Bala dvaya. The plant Atibala is bigger in size compared to Bala. It is also provided more physical strength than Bala, hence it is called Atibala. The properties and actions of Bala and Atibala are almost similar.

It is an erect, woody, shurby plant, it is widely distributed in tropical and sub-tropical countries. In Kerala, Urena lobate is considered as a source of Atibala, but most commonly, Abutilon Indicum is used as Atibala.

The plant commonly found in India, Sri Lanka, and other parts of Southeast Asia. Its leaves, flowers, and roots have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including respiratory issues, inflammation, and digestive problems.

You may also like

2. Common Names

• Family – Malvaceae
• Hindi Name – Kanghi, Kakahi
• English Name – Indian mallow, Country mallow

3. Vernacular Names

• Assamese – Jayavandha
• Bengali – Petari, Jhapi
• Gujrati – Khapat, Dabali
• Kannada – Tutti, Mudragida
• Malayalam – Uram, Katuvan, Tutti
• Marathi – Mudra, Petari
• Oriya – Pedipidika
• Tamil – Perum tutti
• Telugu – Tutturu Benda

4. Synonyms

• Atibala – It provides more physical strength than bala.
• Kanktika – Fruit of Atibala resembles a comb.
• Petarika – Its fruit resembles a basket.
• Pittapushpika – It bears yellow flower.
• Rishyaprokta – It grows wildly.
• Saha – It gives physical strength.
• Varshapuspika – It blossoms in rainy season.
• Vrushyagandhika – It is an effective aphrodisiac drug.

5. Classical Categorozation

• Charaka Samhita – Balya
• Sushrut Samhita – Vatashamshamana
• Dhanvantari Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga
• Madanpal Nighantu – Abhayadi varga
• Kaiyadev Nighantu – Oshadi varga
• Raj Nighantu – Shatahwadi varga
• Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga

6. Distribution

The plant is found in India, Sri lanka,, tropical regions of America and Malaysia. It is found as also in sub-Himalayan tracts, hilly regions up to 1,200 m and hotter parts of India.

Explore More Herbs

7. Morphology

Indian mallow has a velvety shrubby and greyish green in color. It is covered with an aromatic oily substance. The oil coating is less pronounced in young plants than in well-grown plants. Its roots, bark, leaves, and seeds are all used in medicine. The plant contains an alkaloid asparagine.

Leaves – Cordate, ovate, acuminate, toothed, rarely sub trilobate and 9 by 5 cm, greyish green, both surfaces studded with soft hairs, petioles 3.8 to 7.5 cm long.

Flowers – Yellow, peduncle joined above the middle stipules is 9 mm long, pedicels are often 2.5 to 5 mm long, axillary, solitary, calyx is 12.8 mm long, divided in middle, lobes ovate, apiculate and corolla is 2.5 cm in diameter, yellow and opens in the evening.

Fruits – A globose schizocarp, green when young, later black, mericarps 15 to 20, conspicuous and horizontally spreading braks, stellate hairy, seeds are three per cell.

Seeds – Reniform, tubercled, or minutely stellate-hairy, 3 to 5 mm, black or dark brown.

Root – Smooth, cylindrical, and yellow in color.

8. Types

It is found in two types

Small-sized Atibala - Abutilon Indicum

Big Size - Abutilon hirtum, it is bigger than Abutilon Indicum. It has hairy branches and pedicle.

9. Ayurvedic Properties

• Rasa (Taste): It has Madhura (sweet) taste.
• Virya (Potency): It is cold in nature (sheeta).
• Vipaka (Post-digestive taste): The post-digestive taste is madhura (sweet).

10. Chemical Constituent

Its leaves are rich in mucilage, amino acids, tannins, gallic acid, glucose, alkaloids, flavonoids, sterols, triterpenoids, saponins, cardiac glycosides and asparagine whereas its roots contain many fatty acids such as linoleic, oleic and stearic.

Explore Wholesale Herbs Powder

11. Identity, Purity, and Strength

• Foreign Matter – Not more than 2%
• Total Ash – Not more than 8%
• Acid-insoluble ash – Not more than 3%
• Alcohol-soluble extractive – Not less than 3%
• Water-soluble extractive – Not less than 9%

(Source: The Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India 1989)

12. Ayurvedic and Pharmacological Actions

Ayurvedic Action

It is described as strength promoting, aphrodisiac, absorbent, increase weight, analgesic, reduces inflammation and diuretic.

• Doshakarma – Vatapittashamak
• Dhatukarma – Balaya, Brimhana
• Malakarma - Grahi

Pharmacological Action

It possesses diuretic, antioxidant, hypoglycaemic, larvicidal, antidiabetic, antiulcer, lipid lowering, anticonvulsant, wound healing, analgesic, antiestrogenic, antiathritic, antidiarrheal, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antimycotic, antimalarial, hepatoprotective and antiasthmatic activities.

13. Health Benefits

Bhavaprakash Nighantu has described its properties as it is beneficial in bleeding disorders, gout, diabetes.

The roots of the plant are considered as demulcent and diuretic, its root is used in fever, chest infection, gonorrhea, hematuria, strangury leprosy, dry cough, bronchitis, gout, polyuria, uterine haemorrhagic discharge, urinary discharge, and urethritis. Root infusion is given to cure fever, dry cough, and bronchitis.

The leaves are found to be good for ulcer and as a fomentation to painful parts of the body. The decoction of the leaves is used in toothache, tender gums, lumbago and earache. It is used in eye wash and mouth washes. Leaves are used to treat ulcer, uterus displacement, rheumatism, syphilis of penis, piles, pain in legs, inflammation, catarrhal bilious diarrhoea, inflammation in bladder, bronchitis, gonorrhoea and fever.

The bark is used as febrifuge, anthelminitic, and alexiteric, astringent, diuretic, aphrodisiac, and laxative.

The seeds are used in chest problem, bronchitis, piles, laxative, expectorant, chronic cystitis, gleet and gonorrhoea.

Explore Herbal Tea

14. Therapeutic Uses

Obstructed Labor – Oil is cooked with Indian Mallow is applied.

Toothache – The decoction of its leaves should be used for gargles in toothache and tender gums.

Piles - Indian mallow seeds have laxative properties, take 4-8 grams of seed powder with water. It is very effective in curing piles.

Fever - Root powder of Indian mallow is valuable to treat fever, make a decoction of root powder and take it twice a day.

Respiratory Disorder - Make a decoction of root powder and take it twice a day. Helps to treat bronchitis, catarrh, and biliousness.

Skin Disorder - Take tender leaves to paste of country mallow and mixed with coconut oil, apply it on the affected part of the abscess, carbuncle, scabies, and itches.

Oral Health - Make a decoction of tender leaves of country mallow, apply it to gums or used as a mouthwash, helps to treat gums problem, toothache.

Threadworm - Take seed powder of Indian mallow and take it with water, helps to treat threadworm.

Diabetes – Root decoction or seed powder of Indian mallow should be taken with milk.

Dysuria – Root decoction of Indian mallow alleviates all types of dysuria.

Urinary Obstruction – Its leaves decoction or seed powder gives relief in urinary disorders.

Menometrorrhagia – Indian mallow powder mixed with sugar and honey is effective in controlling excessive bleeding.

Rejuvenator – It is used as Rasayana.

15. Official Part Used

Whole plant, roots, seeds and leaves.

16. Doses

• Powder – 3 to 6 g
• Decoction – 50 to 100 ml