Makandi is a small perennial plant that thrives on the lower foothills of India, Sri lanka and Nepal. It is commonly known by the name Coleus. It is useful in the treatment of congestive heart failure, glaucoma, asthma, cancer and in preventing premature greying of hair.
Benefits of Makandi: Improves heart funtions, useful for heart disease, skin diseases, psoriasis, cough, colds, difficult breathing, asthma, bronchitis, allergies, fever, hayfever, eczema, may stimulate thyroid activity, hyperthyroidism, reduces blood pressure, colic, convulsions, useful in managing diabetes, urinary disorders, premature greying of hair, glaucoma.
Action: Ophthalmic, antiallergenic, alterative, bronchodilator, hypotensive, cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP) enzyme activator.
Scientific name: Coleus forskohlii.
Useful part: Root.
Dosage: 5–10g per day or 3–15ml.
Ayurvedic Action
Caksusya: Benefits the eyes.
Kasavasahara: Alleviates coughing and benefits breathing.
Kusthaghna: Alleviates skin diseases.
Hrdaya: Heart tonic.
Energetics
Rasa(taste): Pungent
Virya(energy): Heating
Vipaka(post-digestive effect): Pungent
Guna(quality): Light, dry
Dosa effect: VPK−
Dhatu(tissue): Plasma, blood
Srotas(channel): Respiratory, circulatory
Classical and common names
Ayurvedic: Makandi
English: Coleus.
Safety: No drug–herb interactions are known. Not to be used with patients with peptic ulcers. Caution when used with other medication as it may potentiate its effects.
Properties and Activity
Leaves contain b-sitosterol-b-D-glucoside, cirsimaritin and oxalacetic acid. Leaves are bitter, acrid, aromatic, anodyne, appetising, digestive, carminative,thermogenic, stomachic, anthelmintic, constipating, deodorant, expectorant, diuretic and liver tonic. The essential oil from the plant contains ethyl salicylate, thymol, carvacrol, eugenol and chavicol. An alcoholic extract of the roots and essential oil from it, were found to inhibit passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in the mouse and rat. The roots are rich in diterpenoids like forskolin, coleonols, coleons, barbatusin, cyclobutatusin, coleosol, coleol, coleonone, deoxycoleonol, 7-deacetylforskolin and 6-acetyl-7-deacetylforskolin. Its root is spasmolytic, CNS active, hypothermic and diuretic. Forskolin is bronchodialative and hypotensive.The basic mechanism of forskolin is the activation of an enzyme, adenylate cyclase, which increases the amount of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in cells. Forskolin is also found beneficial in preventing the clotting of blood platelets, in reducing intraocular pressure in glaucoma and as an aid to nerve regeneration following trauma.
Contraindication: Hypotension.