BENGALURU: Bhaktha Markandeya is a divine figure in Hindu mythology, popular primarily for his eternal youth! Every human tries to stay so and this can be achieved, if you keep the liver clean. Yes, one looks older or younger depending on the health of the liver.
Liver is the busiest organ in the body and works 24 x 7 to keep it healthy. It performs nearly 600 vital functions! In turn, what we do to liver? We ill-treat it by inhaling polluted air, consuming unhygienic or fatty food and by drinking alcohol. These leave the liver tired and causes it to malfunction, leading to severe health complaints such as food allergy, obesity, eczema, indigestion, chronic constipation and thyroidal problems.
Herbal liver tonics improve the functioning of the liver and guard its tissue structure. One such liver tonic is Trivrit and its efficacy has also been proven by modern research.
Trivrit is botanically known as Operculina turpethum (L.) S. Manso. It is a large climbing shrub that exudes milky juice when injured. Stems are purplish green, twining with three twisted and sharp wings. Leaves measure 5-10 cm long and 3-7 cm broad, very variable in shape.
Flowers are untainted white, funnel shaped, about 4 cm across. Fruits appear as cones (due to the twisted sepals) latter unfolds as lotus flowers. Seeds 4, pure black in colour, enclosed within the bloated, transparent, floral parts. The natural habitats are hedges along coastal areas and wayside thickets, up to an altitude of 900 M above sea level.
Flowering and fruiting can be seen in all seasons. Trivrit is not only used as liver tonic but also against many health complaints. Roots are used in chronic constipation as an effective laxative. Drug of this climber is also used to remove excess mucous from lungs and to expel worms from the digestive system. In case of obesity, it is used to decrease fat. In Sanskrit it is called Trivrit; in Hindi it is called Nisoth; Tigade balli in Kannada; Tigada in Telugu; Trikolpa konna in Malayalam and Sivadhai in Tamil.