Description

Cuscuta reflexa, commonly known in India as Aftimoon and in classical Unani medicine as Afsanteen-related dodder, is a leafless parasitic plant widely distributed across the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and temperate Asia. It attaches itself to host shrubs in open woodland habitats, drawing nutrients through specialized haustoria. Documented in the Unani pharmacopoeia for centuries, it has been traditionally incorporated into formulations intended to support nervous system functions and promote mental clarity. Historically valued in both Ayurvedic Rasayana preparations and Unani compound medicines, this botanical continues to be sourced from wild populations across Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.