Abrus precatorius Gunja Ratti Indian Liquorice

Plant Profile

Botany

Binomial nomenclature

Abrus precatorius

Scientific Name and Description

Abrus precatorius L. (Fabaceae)

Herb Family

Fabaceae

Plant type

Climber

Plant Synonyms

Abrus maculatus Noronha
Abrus pauciflorus Desv.
Glycine abrus L.
Orobus americanus Mill.
Zaga latifolia Raf.
Zaga parvifolia Raf.

Plant Names - Common - Regional - Vernacular

Madhya Pradesh Region	Ratti
English	Crab's Eye, Indian Licorice, Rosary Pea, coral pea, crab s eye, indian liquorice, jequerity seed, jumbie beans, lucky or paternoster bean, rati, rosary pea
Hindi	Gunja, bhut kesi, chanboi, charmoi, charmoli, chirmi, chirmiti, chormoi, gaunchhi, gaungchi, ghungchi, ghunghachi, gumchi, guncaci, gunchi, gunci, gunj, gunj ratt, gunja, gunji, gunjratt, kunch, raktan, rati, ratigiri, ratki, rattak, ratti, rauns, sarmai, tatti
Sanskrit	Ratti,angaravallari, angaravalli, aruna, bhilabhushana, bhillabusana, chakrashalya, chataki, chudala, chudamani, dhvankshanakha, durmogha, goonja, gunja, gunjika, kaka, kakachinchi, kakachinchibijam, kakachinchika, kakadani, kakajangha, kakananti, kakanantika, kakashimbi, kakatikta, kakatundika, kakavallari, kakini, kaksha, kamboji, kanchi, kanichi, krishnachudika, krishnala, kunni, mirintika, rakta, raktala, raktika, saumya, shangushtha, shikhandi, shikhandini, shitapaki, shvetabija, shvetagunja, shvetaraktika, shvetkamboji, shvetochchata, shyamalachuda, tulabija, uchchatta, vaktrashalya, vanya, vayasadini
Marathi	Gunja, Ghonchi,chanoti, gunchi, gunj, gunja, gunji, khaksi, kunch, lahan-gunj
Tamil	Kunri, Kanji kottai, adimaduram, adingam, adisamiyai, ali, aru, atimaturam, atinkam,cinnicanni, ciritakam, ciritam, ciritam,cirrilaimanikkoti, citakkanni, citikam, citikamanikkoti, cittilaicceti, civappakatitakkoti, civappakatitam, coondumunnie vayr, cutamanikkoti, edalagam, egunru, ekunru, etalaka, gundu-mani, gundumani, kakacincai, kakacinci, kakananti, kakanantirai, kakatiktam, kakavallari, kalluraynci, kalmuraki, kalmurakikkoti, kamapoki, kamperu, kampocam, kampoki, kampokikam, kandam, karunkunri, karuttaniramalacci, katukali, katukalikkoti, katuku, kindumuthan, koccimancati, koccimancatimani, kollikam, koticci, kotipenam, kotiyenacceti, kuccam, kunacam, kunakkari, kunapacakkoti, kunca, kuncakam, kuncalakkoti, kuncalam, kuncaram,kunci, kuncikam, kuncuram, kundrimani, kundumani, kundumuthan, kuni, kunjam, kunjuram, kunni, kunni,kunri, kunri-mani, kunricceti, kunrimani, kunrivittu, kunthamani, kuntri, kuntumani, kuruvi, kuruvikakkoti, kuruvikam, kuruvintakkoti, malaikkuruvi, maniccikai, maturakam, mukkirakariyar, mukkirkariyar, nakaciritam, nancaruttanputu, nanci, nancicci, naykattankoti, naykkarantai, naykkattan, nilakkunti, nilakkuntikkoti, nirattakankari, pacalai, palaccaki, palaccakikkoti, palaccaritam, tamirakam, tamirikai, tittaparuvan, uccatam, uma, umatakiyakkoti, umatakiyam, uyar, uyarvukkoti, venkunri, venkunrivittu
Kannada	Gunjegida, galaganji, gul-ganji, gulagangi, gulaganji, gulagunji, gulagunjie, gulganji, guliganji, gulugunjiballi, gunja, gunji, guruganji, gurugonji, gurugunji, haga, hauga, jeshtamadhu, jeshthamadhu, kempu kannu beeja, madhuka, madhukavalli
Local Names	Ghumchi, Gurija
Malayalam	Kunni Kuru,atimadhuram, cekkunni, coonycooroo, gundumani, gunja, irattimadhuram, kakani, klitakam, klitakkam, konni, kunni, kunni-kuru, kunnikkuru, kunnikuru, madhukam, madhumulam, shekkunni
Telugu	atimadhuramu, guri-ginja, guriginja, gurija, gurivenda, gurivinda, guru-venda, guruginia, guruginja, gurugonji, gurunenda, kukkutam, kukkutamu, mukkutamu, raktika, sinnaguruginja
Tibetan	ma ru rtse, o la mase dmarpo, ol ma se dkar po, ol ma sedmar po(d)
Urdu	ghunchchi surkh, ghunchi, ghungchi safaid, maghz tukhm kunch, tukhm kunch
Poonch District of Jammu And Kashmir Region	Ratti
Rajasthan Region	Chirmi
Common name	jequirity bean, rosary pea

Plants Medicinal Value

Medicinal Systems

Ayurved

Unani

Siddha

Homoeopathy

Folk

Sowa Rigpa

Pharmacological profile

Phytochemicals

Glycyrrhizic acid

Flavonoids

Abrin

Herb usable parts

Roots

Leaves

Seeds

Ethanomedical Uses

Ethnopharmacology use

Skin diseases and stomach pains. Leaves are grounded with lime and applied on effected area. Paste of root is administered to cure stomach pain.

Source: Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2017; 6(1): 405-410

The root, a substitute for liquorice in coughs and catarrhal affections is diuretic, tonic and emetic.
The decoction of roots is used to cure leucorrhoea.
Leaves paste is applied on wounds and painful swellings.
Decoction of leaves is used for cough, cold and hoarseness.
Seeds are used as purgative, emetic, and aphrodisiac and also in nervous disorders.
Seed paste is used for baldness, dandruff and other hair and skin diseases.

Source: Medicinal Plants in the Indian Arid Zone, March 2005, Director Central Arid Zone Research Institute Jodhpur ~ 342 003

Abrus precatorius L. Gurija Fabaceae Leaf Insect bite

Abrus precatorius Linn. Kunni Kuru, Gunja Fabaceae Shrub Leaf abrasine, abrol, precol, pre-casine

Abrus precatorius L.

Habit - Climber

Parts used - Whole plant

Application - Bone fracture; typhoid; Retention of placenta; bronchitis; fever; leucoderma; rheumatism; skin diseases; veneral diseases; hair growth; to increase sexual vigour; abortifacient; abortion; gynaecological disorders; diabetes; chronic nephritiss; worm infection; gonorrhea; swellings; paralysis

Treatment - General; pregnant women; women

References - Upadhya et al. 2012

Abrus precatorius L. Ghumchi Fabaceae Contraceptives, purgative, emetic & menstrual disorder