Anantmool belongs to Asclepidiacea family and its Latin name is Hemidesmus indicus. emidesmus indicus, Indian sarsaparilla is a species of plant that is found in South Asia`. It has a lot of medicinal value and we are one of the largest suppliers of Anantmool in India.
Anantmool is a slender, twining and semi-erect shrub. It has thickened nodes in the stem. The root is woody and aromatic.The leaves are opposite each other and dark green in color. They are elliptical-oblong to linear-lanceolate in shape.The flowers are greenish in color towards the outside and purplish to yellow-orange on the inside. Flowers have five petals and flowering occurs between October and January.
The fruits of this plant are divergent long follicles. Hemidesmusindicus is used to make beverages and also used in traditional medicine. In Ayurveda it goes by the name of Ananthamoola , also known locally in Southern India as Naruneendi or Nannari, (Sanskrit meaning: endless root). In southern states of India (particularly Tamil Nadu), sarsaparilla roots are called Maahali or MahaniKizhangu and in its pickled form is also served along with rice dishes. It is also called the false sarsaparilla.
It is administered in the form of powder, infusion or decoction as syrup. It is one of the Rasayana plants of Ayurveda. The alcoholic extract of HemidesmusindicusR.Br. possesses a significant antinociceptive activity. The extracts from the root are used in syrup with sugar and a dash of lemon (Sharbat) and served at most small refreshment shops in South India.