It is the indigenous species in India and yields bulk of cotton of that country. It is found in the south of Europe and other countries bordering on the Mediterranean Persia. Seeds are woolly yielding short stapled cotton. The herbaceous part of the plant has mucilage and is used as demulcent.

Description

Cotton root is a perennial or annual shrub or subshrub which is about 3 meters tall having few branches and nearly all parts irregularly dotted with black oil glands. Stem is thick, rigid, hairy or glabrous. Leaves are reniform, leathery, cordateauriculate, often prominently reticulate and blade is less than half cut into 3-5-7 lobes. Lobes are broad, rotund, ovate and suddenly acute or apiculate and irregular below thinly pilose. Bracteoles are green, obtuse, broadly ovate-rotund, only very slightly united but prominently cordate, gashed across the top into 7-9 fairly long irregular teeth. Inflorescence is proliferous which forms many lateral spurs that carry two or more flowers almost becoming clustered; stipules of the small leaves of the spurs elliptic acuminate. Flowers are not very large but twice the length of bracteoles, yellow with purple claws. Calyx is loose, large, undulate or with short rounded teeth.

Facts About Cotton Root

Uses

For parturient in childbirth add ¼ lb. of the bark to l½ quarts of water and reduce by boiling to 1 pint; take a wine glassful every ½ hr. For obstructed menstruation it should be continued daily until the desired effect is produced. A strong decoction of the seeds as a tea is mucilaginous and is reputed to be an effective cure for fever and ague.

Health Benefits of Cotton Root

1. Diuretic activity

Ethyl acetate and ethanolic leaf extract of Cotton Root increase excretion of total volume of urine and anions and cations in comparison to standard drug Frusemide. It showed diuretic activity due to the presence of various chemical constituents such as carbohydrates, alkaloids, steroids, tannins and proteins.

2. Anti-bacterial activity

 The seed extract of free and bound flavonoid fraction and callus extract of free flavonoids is effective against Tricoderma viride. The seed extracts of Cotton Root and G.hirsutum is effective against Tricoderma viride, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus cerus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhmurium.

3. Anti- ulcer activity

Ethanolic leaf extract of Cotton Root inhibits formation of ulcer in ethanol induced gastric ulcer in rats in comparison to standard drug Lansoprazole. The extract increases healing of gastric ulcer and possess anti-ulcer activity due to chemical constituents like flavonoids, tannins etc.

4. Anti-oxidant activity

Cotton Root leaf extract decreases the free radical to correlative with hydrazine when it reacts with hydrogen donors in anti-oxidant principle.

5. Anti- diabetic activity

The ethanol and ethyl ether leaf extracts of Cotton Root reduces blood glucose level in alloxan induced diabetic rats. The extracts reduced triglycerides, very low density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, total cholesterol levels and increase the high density lipoprotein level. The extracts showed anti-diabetic activity due to the presence of chemical constituents such as flavonoids, tannins and alkaloids.

6. Anti-fertility activity

The methanolic root extract of Cotton Root reduced the number of healthy small antral, Graffian follicles and corpora lutea related with significant increase the number of atretic follicles in same stage with dose dependent manner. The extract reduced ovarian and uterine wet weights, epithelial cell height, myometrial and stromal thickness in a dose dependent manner. The methanolic root extract of Cotton Root could causes atrophic changes in the uterus and disruption of ovarian folliculogenesis by inhibiting further development of the recruited ovarian follicles.

7. Anti-urolithiatic activity

The ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of Cotton Root showed maximum efficiencies in the dissolution of calcium oxalate crystals. In comparison to aqueous extract, ethanolic extract showed highest dissolution of calcium oxalate crystals than aqueous extract.

Homoeopathic Clinical

Tincture of fresh inner root bark—Abortion, Amenorrhoea, Dysmenorrhoea, Labia (abscess of), Ovaries (pains in), Pregnancy (vomiting of), Sterility, Tumour, Uterus (bearing down in).

Russian Experience

Time never passes without the use of absorbent Cotton in Russia, and elsewhere, for industrial, commercial, and clinical use. Known in Russia as Hlopok or Vatta.

Folk Medicine

The root is used to stop bleeding, especially internally.

Clinically

Common in the form of extract.

India and Pakistan

The many and different uses of the whole Cotton plant has long been established in India and Pakistan.

Root Bark

As an Abortifacient, in uterine disorder, and as effective Emmanenagogue. Root powder, 20–60 grain dose; its decoction, 1–2 oz. every 30 min.

Leaves

Crushed to make a fresh extract and used in Diarrhoea, Dysentery, Piles, Strangury, Gravel.

Seed

Is used as a decoction or in powder form as Laxative, Expectorant, Antidysenteric, Aphrodisiac, Demulcent, Nervine, Tonic, Galactagogue and Abortifacient.

Externally: Apply cotton seed oil for rheumatic disease and dressing for freckles, herpes, scabies and wounds. Local applications will act as a sedative for neuralgia and chronic headache.

Cotton Ash Fibers: Are effective applied to Ulcers, Sores and Wounds.

Leaves and Seeds: As a poultice for Bruises, Burns, Scalds, Sores, Swellings. For Uterine colic, a hot leaf infusion is applied.

Traditional uses

• Preparation of cotton seeds increases milk of nursing mothers.
• It is used as a nervine tonic in brain affections and headache.
• Use the seed decoction for dysentery and intermittent fever.
• For dysentery use the seeds in form of dysentery.
• Apply the seed poultice to burns and scalds.
• Cotton seed oil is used to clear skin spots and freckles.
• Leaves juice are used for dysentery.
• Cotton seeds are used to relieve pain.
• Seeds are used as an antidote for snake poison.
• Root decoction is used in Somalia as abortifacient and juice of heated unripe fruit is used for earache.
• Chew the root in Ethiopia for snake bite and apply powdered fruit on head for treating fungal infections.
• Root decoctions are used Mozambique are used as tonic and control vomiting.
• Root infusion is used for lack appetite.
• Apply the poultice to burns, scabies and scalds.
• For rat bite, drink 50 grams juice of cotton tree leaves combined with 100 grams of rice socked water to cure poison.
• For joint pains, boil crushed cotton leaves in castor oil or cow ghee. Apply it on joints and bandage it to remove joint pains.
• Apply the juice of cotton leaves on swollen area of leg.
• Boil cotton leaves in buttermilk and apply these leaves on eyes and bandage it to get relief from eye pains.
• Deep fry cotton seeds till it turn black and use it to massage teeth to eliminate bacteria and get healthy teeth.

References:

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=506096#null

https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/cotto109.html

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285331150_Gossypium_Herbaceum_Linn_An_Ethnopharmacological_review

http://www.iosrphr.org/papers/vol8-issue5/H0805016480.pdf

https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/70545/14/14_chapter%207.pdf

http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Gossypium+herbaceum

https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Gossypium+herbaceum

https://www.booksfact.com/health/cotton-plant-medicinal-usage-health-benefits-ayurveda.html

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