Sans.

Parpata. Vern. Khetpaprά. Beng.

The Oldenlandia herbacea is a "small, weak, straggling delicate plant, appearing in the rainy season" in fields and low ground on the banks of water courses. The entire plant is used in medicine, and is regarded as a valuable bitter tonic and febrifuge. It enters into the composition of numerous prescriptions for fever, diarrhoea, skin diseases, etc. A simple decoction of the plant is used in bilious fever, with irritability of the stomach or delirium.1 Parpata enters into the composition of numerous febrifuge and tonic decoctions. The following is an example.

Panchabhadra.2 Take of parpata, tubers of Cyperus rotundus (mustaka), gulancha, chireta and ginger, equal parts, in all two tolas, and prepare a decoction in the usual way. This preparation is much used in fever supposed to be caused by deranged air and bile, that is, remittent fever with gastric irritability, nervousness, etc.