Aknadi or Snake vine, Stephania japonica

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Aknadi or Snake vine (Stephania japonica, family: Menispermaceae) is a creeping perennial herb climbing other plants along with Guloncho, Telakucha, Asam lota and other plants. Its stem is slender and glabrous. Its local name is Nimukha, since the petiole originate from the middle of the leaf. It is found in the Southeast Asia.

Other names: Nimukha, Akondi, Pattha, Makandi, Bemmokopat lota, Bromhokopat, Akandi, Makandi, Muchi-lota, Muchuinda, Pata muchundi, Manik, Ekleti, Muchiani pata, Purno-lota.


One can easily detect the twining climber by its shield-like leaves. They are entire, green, cordate, sometimes almost triangular, round at the base and acute at the end; glabrous, 5-15 cm long, petiole long. 


Flowers are very small and very deciduous, clustered on the top of axillary inflorescence. Flowers bloom in summer. 


The female flowers are whitish and the males are yellowish.


Fruit is a drupe, almost 1 cm in diameter, globose, green when raw, red when ripe, curved-seeded. It is propagated by seeds. 


The plant is used as herbal medicine in many diseases. It is used in cholera, dysentery, cough, pain and leucorrhoea. It is also used in birth control and postnatal care. Its a beautiful leafy climber. It can be planted in parks and gardens. Although it is available everywhere in Bangladesh.

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