An annual branched erect herbaceous plant 1 meter tall with an extremely bitter taste. It has small white to pinkish flowers with brown or purple blotches. Growing widely in India , Sri Lanka and other tropical Asian countries it has been used traditionally for jaundice and liver disorders. All the plant is used including the roots.

Ethnoveterinary application: juice from the whole plant is used to treat diarrhoea, respiratory problems in poultry and Newcastle disease.