Ophiopogon Japonicus

Ophiopogon Japonicus Latest News

Recently, researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, and the Uluberia Botanical Institute Herbarium recorded the Ophiopogon japonicus in the wild in Arunachal Pradesh for the first time.

About Ophiopogon Japonicus

• It is an evergreen perennial herb that grows in dense clumps.
• Other names: Commonly known as dwarf lilyturf or mondo grass.
• The genus Ophiopogon comprises around 85 species worldwide, of which seven species were previously recorded from India.  
• It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.
• Appearance: It has narrow, grass-like leaves with retroserrulate margin, small white to pale-purple flowers, and blue, berry-like fruits.
• Distribution: The plant is native to East Asia and is found in China, Japan, Korea and Nepal, generally at elevations between 200 and 2,800 m.
• Applications
  • Its tuberous roots are known as Ophiopogonis Radix or Maidong in Chinese and have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine.
  • It is reported that O. japonicus polysaccharides (OJPs) have a variety of biological activities, including anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory, kidney protection, hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory activity.

Source: TOI

‹ ›