Text & photographs by Dr. Mahadeswara Swamy, Scientist
Among the innumerable plants used in native system of medicines ‘Aparajita’ stands out as a curative herb to improve memory. In Ayurveda, it is grouped under ‘Medhya’ category forming part of “Shirovirechanopaga” group of herbs associated with detoxification and cleansing of the brain and associated nervous system. A perennial creeper known as ‘Shanku pushpa’ in Kannada, it is often seen in the backyards of Indian household. (English: ‘Butterfly pea’, Asian pigeon-wings, bluebell-vine, blue pea, cordofan pea and Darwin pea; Hindi: Aparajita, Gokarni, Khagtu; Kannada: Aparajite, Girikarnike, Kantisoppu, Gokarna; Malayalam: Sangu pushpam; Marathi: Gokarna, Shankha pushpa; Sanskrit: Aparajita, Girikarnika, Ghrstih; Tamil: Kakkanam, Kakkattan Kannikkodi, Uyvai; Telugu: Gentana, Sankhu-pushpamu).
