About Cadaba fruticosa (L.) Druce
Cadaba fruticosa (L.) Druce is a plant species that belongs to the Capparaceae family. It is native to the Indian Subcontinent (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) and Indo-China (Myanmar). Its natural habitats include dry areas of the Gangetic plain, extending through the Vindhya range to the Deccan thorn scrub forests of South India. This species is threatened by habitat loss. Its confirmed range stretches from Pakistan and Bangladesh through the Gangetic plains, south to Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana. It can also be found in Rayalaseema, the central and eastern parts of Karnataka, and extends south to Tamil Nadu, reaching west to the rainshadow regions surrounding Palakkad and Punalur. In Tamil Nadu, this species is called vizhuthi (Tamil: விழுதி (viļuti)) and has been used in Siddha medicine for over 2000 years. The juice of its leaves is specifically used to treat gonorrhoea (Tamil: வெண்மேகம் (věṇmēkam)).
