Sagargota/Katkaranj/Latakaranj

Gachhakaya - Latakaranja is one of the herbs mentioned in all Ayurvedic texts and has been freely used all over India since centuries. Traditionally, it is used in post partum period, as it is a uterine stimulant, to cleanse the uterus. It also alleviates the fever, edema and abdominal pain during this period. It has numerous synonyms like duhsparsa – difficult to touch, kantaki karanja – having prickles; vajra bijaka – having hard seeds, kanta phala – has fruits covered with prickles etc. 

It grows throughout India up to 800 meters elevation. It is a large straggling, very thorny shrub. The branches are armed with hooks and straight, hard, yellow prickles. The leaves, 3 cm long are bipinnate, stipules foliaceous. Pinnae 7 pairs, leaflets 3-8. The flowers pale yellow in color, in supra-axillary racemes at the top. The fruits ae inflated pods, covered with prickles, 6 cm long, 1-2 seeds per pod. The seeds are globular, hard, bluish grey with a smooth shiny surface. The plant flowers in June and fruits in November.