Control your Hypertension with East India Glory Bower aka ‘Nephaphu’ Greens

A typical meal in Assamese cuisine will always consist a bowl of lentils, ‘Khar’ (a class of dishes named after the main ingredient), ‘tenga’ (a sour dish), ‘aaloo pitika’ (mashed boiled potatoes), and some green veggies. These dollops of healthy and tempting food items decorating the dining table would pull in any foodie who wishes to relish the simple yet traditional Assamese cuisine. 

Green veggies have always been an inseparable part of a typical Assamese platter. Blessed with a virgin green cover, the people of the state have always enjoyed the natural bounty and consumed the green leafy vegetables found in abundance for their medicinal values. East India glory bower or commonly known as ‘Nephaphu’ in Assamese, has always held an esteemed position in the green leafy kingdom for its highly medicinal value.
From treating rheumatism, to controlling cholesterol levels, Nephaphu greens hold a dear place in the Assamese cuisine and are consumed as vegetables.

Scientifically called as the Clerodendrum Colebrookianum, this perennial shrub is found across the tropical and sub-tropical regions of Asia, and is widely consumed across Northeastern states of India. 
The leaves are vermifuge and its juice is used to destroy intestinal helminthic worms among tribes of Northeast India. 

Consuming Nephaphu is good for the diabetic patients as well. Besides diabetes, Nephaphu is also endowed with the goodness of treating cough, triglycerides, hypertension, skin diseases and dysentery. 

Each and every part of the Nephaphu shrub is consumed, which is generally bitter in taste. The tribal natives of Arunachal Pradesh use the leaf juice mixed with garlic extract to treat diabetes. Among the Mizos, the Nephaphu leaves are cooked as vegetable as is always a special ingredient in preparing meat. Manipuri tribes used the leaves and roots for treating skin ailments.
Sadly, the species is classified under the threat status and is vulnerable.