Vayu vidhangalu (Embelia Ribes) Choornam

1. Vavding water given to New Moms to prevent Gas and Stomach Aches
2. Carminative: Either prevents formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract or facilitates the expulsion of gas ^{[medical citation needed]}
3. Anthelmintic: Useful against tapeworms, but not other parasites.
4. Vavding water given to New Moms to prevent Gas and Stomach Aches.
5. Either prevents formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract or facilitates the expulsion of gas. Anthelmintic: Useful against tapeworms, but not other parasites.
6. Alexiteric It is believed to be useful in snake bite (resists poison), but it is not sufficient antidote to the venom.
7. It is a common practice to put a few berries of the plant in the milk that is given to young children as it is believed to prevent Flatilence. 8. shushrutha describes the fruit as anthelmintic, restorative and tonic, and recommends their use along with liquorice root, for the purpose of strengthening the body and preventing the effects of age.
8. vayuvidhang fruit extract has activity .

Embelia ribes is woody creeper shrub with brittle and flexible stem. It is medicinal plant also with terete branches also known as vai vidanga. Leaves are simple, alternate, ovate and sharp at both the ends. Length of leaves is 3 inch long and 1.5 inch broad. Flowers are small, white in color and have small petioles 3 to 4 inch in length. Fruits are small just like black pepper, reddish brown to black in color. Because of its appearance and nature it is also called false black pepper. Fruits are found in bunches. Outer covering of fruits is fragile and from inside seeds are spotted. Roots of this medicinal herb are brownish grey in color.

General Information

In Ayurveda false pepper seeds and white flowered embelia are common names of this herb. This versatile herb is used to treat variety of diseases but mainly it is used to cure worm infestation. Achraya sushrut describe its fruit as anti-helminthic and tonic to strengthen and to provide energy to body along with mulethi roots. To clear out excess vata dosha from intestine vidanga is used. It is used to boost up rasdhatva agni which stimulates body metabolism and helps to expel out extra fat from body. Vidanga is an herb used in Ayurveda as energy booster and tonic. Dry seeds of vidanga resemble pepper seeds and this herb is also called false black pepper. Vidanga seeds are best to use after storage of one year.

Rajnighantu described this herb with light properties, pungent taste and hot potency. It is used to make balance between vata and kapha. Vidanga is very effective to improve anorexia and digestive fire.

Major chemical compounds available in this herb are Embelin, homoembelin, christembine, quercitol and vilangine etc.

Habitat

Embelia is found in areas up to the height of 1500mts. Embelia ribes found in the hilly areas of India like lower and central Himalayas down to Konkan, Deccan, and Western Ghats and south India. It is also distributed in china, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan. In India embelia is mostly distributed in Assam, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Classification

• Kingdom - Plantae
• Family - Myrsinaceae
• Order - Ericales

Names

• English name - False black pepper, White flowered embelia,  Embelia fruit
• Hindi name - Vaividang, Baibidang
• Telugu name - Vayu vidangalu, Vidangamu
• Bengali name - Vidang, Bidang, Biranga
• Marathi name - Bavidang, Ambti, Karkunnie
• Punjabi name - Bavidang
• Gujarati name - Bavadan
• Tamil name - Vilanga, Vayu vidanga, Vellal
• Kannada name - Vayu vilanga, Vayi vulanga
• Malayalam name - Vijhala
• Oriya name - Vidanga

Ayurvedic Properties

Effects On Doshas

It balances vata and kapha dosha because of its hot potency.