Vol. 6 No. 01 (2021): June -Sri Lanka Journal of Indigenous Medicine (SLJIM)

Cover story : Venivel
Coscinium fenestratum (Goetgh.) Colebr
Family: MENISPERMACEAE
Vernacular names: Sinhala: Bangvel-geta; Venivelgata Sanskrit: Daru-haridra, Darvi; English: Calumba Wood, Ceylon Calumba Root, Tree Turmeric; Tamil: Atturam, Imalam, Kadari, Manjalkodi, Udubadi,Maramanjal, Pasamantram, Sanniyam, Seyebasam, Tiyaram
Coscinium fenestratum is considered as a critically endangered woody climbing shrub belonging to the genus Coscinium.
Distribution Occurs in the jungles of Sri Lanka, South India to Indonesia, and Malacca. It is common in the moist low- country forests in Ceylon.
It has a smooth bark, young shoots densely and finely yellow-tomentose. Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, large, 10-20 cm long, broadly ovate or roundish, sharply acute at apex, subcordate or slightly peltate at base; flowers very small, unisexual, male and female flowers on separate plants, sessile in small dense rounded heads which are stalked and umbellately or racemosely arranged in the axils of leaves, pedicel yellow-tomentose; ripe carpels 1-3 globose, brown, endocarp bony, very hard, deeply projected inwards on ventral face, seeds a albuminous, Flowers from January to March.
Composition of the stem and roots of this climber contain the alkaloids, berberin jatrorrhizine and palmatine.
The stem of Coscinium fenestrtum have more medicinal values. The stem is bitter and in the traditional medicine system, the plant has been used for treating diabetes mellitus and diverse therapeutic purposes. The decoction useful in vitiated conditions of Kapha, Vata dosha. The stem of the plant has anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidants properties and used for curing diseases such as wounds, ulcers, skin diseases, abdominal disorders, and jaundice etc. Decoction of stem is used for snack bites and the stem bark is useful in treating intermittent fevers.Infusion of C. fenestratum is used in bath tubs, in facial creams as an antiseptic and as a common home remedy by the mothers in Sri Lanka.
In toxicity studies, the water extract of C.fenestratum showed negative results against acute and sub chronic toxicity tests.

Cover story by Dr. N.D.N. Jayawardhane
Photograph by Mr. R.M.B.M. Rajaguru and Dr. S.A.D.U.M. Maheepala
Cover page designed by Mr. K.K.P.R.K. Kohombakanda