Nithyakalyani/Bright Eyes Plant

Binomial Name – Catharanthus roseus

Nithyakalyani/Bright Eyes/நித்திய கல்யாணி

Nithyakalyani (Catharanthus roseus), commonly known as bright eyes, Cape periwinkle, graveyard plant, Madagascar periwinkle, old maid, pink periwinkle, rose periwinkle.

Catharanthus roseus is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae.

It was formerly included in the genus Vinca as Vinca rosea.

It is native and endemic to Madagascar, but grown elsewhere as an ornamental and medicinal plant.

In Ayurveda (Indian traditional medicine) the extracts of its roots and shoots, though poisonous, are used against several diseases.

It is a source of the drugs vincristine and vinblastine, used to treat cancer.

Nithyakalyani (Catharanthus roseus)  is also used for treating diarrhea, vaginal discharge, throat ailments, tonsillitis, chest pain, high blood pressure, sore throat, intestinal pain and swelling (inflammation), toothache, and water retention (edema).