Salacia
reticulata Wight (Celastraceae), known as Vairi
or Pitika in Sanskrit, is a large woody climbing plant found throughout
forests in India and Sri Lanka. In the vernacular, it is known as
Ponkoranti (Tamil) Anukudu cettu (Telugu), Ekanayakam (Kannada), and
Ekanayakam, Ponkoranti, or Koranti (Malayalam.). Like many Salacia
species (Salacia prenoides, Salacia macrosperma, and Salacia oblonga),
Salacia reticulata has been used as an oral antidiabetic agent by
Ayurvedic practitioners. Based on extensive use of S. reticulata in
Ayurveda, the roots, (commonly described as acrid and bitter)
and the stems contain potent antidiabetic chemical constituents.
Traditionally, an aqueous decoction of the roots of S. reticulata
was prescribed for people with diabetes mellitus.
