Crataeva, a small tree, is perhaps best known in Ayurvedic medicine for alleviating kidney and bladder problems - including stones - for more than 3000 years. An anti-inflammatory, it is also helpful in the treatment of arthritis and hepatitis. An Indian name for the herb, Varuna, refers to one of the oldest of the Vedic deities, the maker of heaven and earth, king of the universe. Other actions include: diuretic, rubefacient, antimicrobial, laxative.