Clitoria ternatea; නිල් කට‍රොළු

 A good-looking perennial twining herb with terete stems and branches, leaves compound, impariprnnate, leaflets 5-7, sub-coriaceous, elliptic-oblong, obtuse; flowers blue or white, solitary, axillary or in fascicles, corolla papilionaceous; fruits nearly straight, flattened pods, sharply beaked; seeds 6-10, smooth, yellowish brown.

• Vernacular Name: Sinhala: Nil katarolu; Eng: Clitoria, Butterfly-Pea, Conchflower,
• Propagation: By seeds.
• Parts Used: Roots, leaves, seeds.

Chemical Constituents:

The high calcium concentration in the plant showed that it can be exploited as a significant source of calcium brewed as herbal drink. The presence of stigmast-4-ene-3, 6, diene is reported from the plant. The roots contain taraxerol and teraxerone. The leaves contain 3-monoglucoside, 3-rutinoside, 3-neohesperidoside, 3-0- rhamnosyl-glucoside, 3-0-rhamnosyl-galactoSide of kaempferol, besides kaempferol-3-0- rhamnosyl-0-rhamnosyl-glUcoSide. The also contain aparajitin and 13-sitosterol.

The blue flowers contain delphinidin_3,5_digluCoside. delphinidin_33_glUCOSide and its 3-methyl derivative, malvidin -3(g1ucoside, kaempferol and cyanin chloride; the white flowers yield only kaempferol.other substances present in the seeds are: p-hydorxycinnaiflic acid, flavonol-3-glyCOSide, ethyla_D-galaCtOpYranO5ide, adenosine, 3, 5, 7, 4’- tetrahydroxyflaVOfle_3_rha.nogluc0se. a polypeptide, hexacosanol, -sitosterol and an anthoxanthin glucoside. The seeds also contain oligosaccharideS or fiatulene.

Uses:

The roots are bitter, refrigerant, ophthalmic, laxative, intellect promoting, alexeteric, diuretic, anthelmintic, depurative, aphrodisiac and tonic, and are useful in ophthalmopathy, tubercular glands, amentia, hemicrania, burning sensation, strangury, helminthiasis, leprosy, leucodenna, elephantiasis, inflammation, vitiated conditions of pitta, bronchitis, asthma, pulmonary tuberculosis, ascites, ulcers, visceromegaly and fevers. The leaves are useful in otalgia, hepatopathy and eruptions. The seeds are cathartic and are useful in visceralgia.