Health benefits of wild spider flower

Cleome viscosa

Introduction

Wild spider flower or Nalvelai helps in ear ache, gastric trouble, indigestion, stomach worms killer and so on.  It is a common plant found near the water logging areas,  Cat whiskers or wild spider flower is a small garlic species belongs to a spider flower family or cleomaceae. There are three types of cat whiskers.  Nalvelai which bears white flowers, Naivelai is looking beautiful with yellow flowers and thai velai decorates the plant with white mixed blue flowers.  

All the varieties have their own unique properties that contribute some health benefits.  A thin stem connected bunch of white flowers and four wing fan shaped leaves represent Nalvelai.   A  variety of garlic plant species is called as velai keerai . Botanical name : Cleome gynandra.  It spreads along the sides of a field that gives a pleasant look like a beautiful garden.

OTHER LANGUAGES

English:      Wild Spider Flower, cat whiskers, African spider-flower,Bastard-mustard 

Hindi:          parhar, safed bagro, jakhiya, safed hulhul

Marathi:      Pandhari tilvan, kanphodi, mabli 

Tamil:         taivelai, nalvelai, velai, acakanta 

Telugu:       vaminta, thella vamita, thivezhai, vaaminta 

Kannada:   kiloni, kirikaala, maamballi gida 

Sanskrit:     Ajagandha 

HEALTH BENEFITS

Aids in digestion and increases appetite : 

The Asafoetida fragrance in the plant itself gives a hint that it cures gastric trouble and increases appetite.  It also encourages the healthy digestion process thereby reduces stomach complications.

Kills stomach 

In a mixer jar, powder both candy sugar and seeds of Nalvelai.  Stir 1tsp of this powder in cows milk and drink it twice a day.  Take 1 tsp of castor oil and drink it the next day.  It helps in killing the worms with toxins stored inside the body.  Thus, the food consumed will be observed by the body in full which results in healthy weight gain.

Reduces phlegm fever:

 In a 500ml of water put one tsp of powder made of five pepper, dry ginger, cumin seeds and Nalvelai leaves.  Boil all the ingredients till the water reduces to 250ml.  Drink it two times a day to reduce the body temperature.

Prevents ear ache : 

Few drops of leaves juice inside the ears will cure the ear puss, ear ache and promotes normal ear functions.  This is a natural remedy most commonly followed in most of interior villages of Tamil nadu.