Murikooti Pacha

Murikooti Pacha Latest News

Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Palode, have tapped into the wound-healing properties of the red ivy plant, known locally as “murikooti pacha”.

About Murikooti Pacha

• Murikooti Pacha or Red Ivy plant (Strobilanthes alternate), belongs to the Acanthaceae family.
• Other names: Red Flame Ivy, Purple Waffle Plant.

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Habitat & Distribution of Murikooti Pacha

• It is native to tropical Asia, particularly Java.
• It is widely cultivated in India, Indonesia, China, and Japan.
• It thrives in moist, shaded environments and is commonly found in gardens and as ground cover. ​

Applications of Murikooti Pacha

• Traditional practitioners use its leaf paste applied to fresh wounds, cuts, ulcers, and inflamed areas to promote healing and reduce inflammation.
• Also its leaf extracts are used traditionally to treat anemia, gallstones, prolonged menstruation, hemorrhoids, and diabetes. ​

Key Features of Wound-Healing Pad

• The key ingredient in the multi-layered wound pad developed by the scientists is the acteoside molecule derived from the red ivy plant, which has high efficacy even at lower concentrations of 0.2%.
• It has been designed with a specially engineered electro-spun nanofiber layer, made from biodegradable and non-toxic polymers and is incredibly thin.
• Acteoside is a natural compound found in many plants and its pharmacological activities and therapeutic potential is well-known. This is the first time acteoside has been linked to the red ivy plant.
• Along with acteoside, it also incorporates the antibiotic neomycin sulfate, blended with FDA-approved polymers.

Source: TH