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Scindapsus offcinalis
Scindapsus officinalis Schott, Araceae, grows in the tropical Himalaya, from Sikkim eastwards, in west Bengal, Chittagong and the Andaman Islands.
The fruits are a stimulant, diaphoretic, carminative and anthelminthic. Powdered parts of the plant are used in enteric fevers. It is also considered as atonic and diuretic. Powdered leaves are snuffed to control nasal bleeding. Fruit is used externally in rheumatism.
The therapeutic effects are attributed to the alkaloids present in all parts of the plant. Fruits contain a sterol and two glucosides and Scindapsin A and B, used as colouring substance.
The so-called fruits are actually numerous small fruits formed from a single inflorescence. They have an uncanny resemblance to similarly formed fruits of Piper longum (Piperaceae), but for their much smaller size. Consequently, there is some confusion between the two species, compounded by the vernacular names, pippali for Piper longum and gajapippali (elephantine pippali), for Scindapsus officinalis. Scindapsus officinalis1 shows the fruits of the two species.