''Rotula aquatica'' is a species of aromatic flowering

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

in the borage family, Boraginaceae. It is a rare rheophyte native to India, where it is a member of the

lotic ecosystem River ecosystems are flowing waters that drain the landscape, and include the biotic (living) interactions amongst plants, animals and micro-organisms, as well as abiotic (nonliving) physical and chemical interactions of its many parts.Angelier, ...

of streams. The plant is a mandatory component of many

ayurvedic Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...

drug preparations and is an important traditional medicine for kidney and bladder stones. The

root tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing s ...

is astringent,

bitter Bitter may refer to: Common uses * Resentment, negative emotion or attitude, similar to being jaded, cynical or otherwise negatively affected by experience * Bitter (taste), one of the five basic tastes Books * ''Bitter (novel)'', a 2022 novel ...

, diuretic and also useful in treating coughs,

heart disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, hea ...

s, dysuria, blood disorders, fever, poisonings, ulcers and uterine diseases. Root decoctions are both diuretic and laxative and are used to treat bladder stones and sexually transmitted diseases. Plants were exploited for their medicinal properties by excavating the roots, causing them to die. A study has shown that a protocol consisting of ex vitro rooting, commercial sugar, and tap water, can be economically advantageous.

References

External links

Ehretioideae Flora of China Flora of tropical Asia Freshwater plants {{asterid-stub