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Showing posts from June 14, 2009

CHITRAK (Plumbago zeylanica)

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1. INTRODUCTION:- Citraka enjoys an important place among medicinal herbs in India since ancient times. The name citraka denotes one which renders discoloration to the skin, when applied topically. In Sanskrit it has various synonyms describing its virtues, namely agni – fire, jvala – flame, aruna – the great sage Caraka has categorized it as lekhaniya – a reducing herb, bhedaniya – an accumulation breaking herb, dipaniya – an appetizer, trptighna – antisaturative, agnimandya nasaka – combats anorexia, arsoghna – antihaemorrhoidal and as sulaghna relieves colicky pains. . Susruta, has cited it as a stanya sodhaka – lactodepurant and as sukra sodhaka – sperm purifier herb. The Ayurvedic texts, later, have described the other properties of citraka as anahaghna - deflatulent, gulmaghna – mitigates tumours, ajirna nasaka – that alleviates dyspepsia etc. Citraka plant grows throughout India, especially in Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, South India and Sri Lanka, in moist places. It is also cultiva

KUTAJA (Holarrhena antidysenterica)

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1. INTRODUCTION:- Kataja plant is fabled to have sprung from the drops of amrta or elixir of life, which fell on the ground from the bodies of Rama’s monkeys, who were restored to life by Indra. The seeds of kutaja are called as Indra’d seeds – Indrayava. Caraka has described multiple used of the plant. The pods have Stanyasodhana -lactodepurant, indrayava have amapacaka-digests the ama and asthapanopaga – adjunct to decoction enema, properties. Whereas kutaja in general, is said to possess vamaka – emetic and arsoghna – anti haemorrhoidal qualities. Susruta mentions indrayava as stanyasodhana – lactodepurant and kutaja as sukrasodhana – sperm purifier. Vagbhata has specified it as the best anti-diarrheal. Kutaja belongs to apocynaceae family and is botanically known as Holarrhena antidysenterica. This plant is often confused with another plant of the same family called Wrightia tinctoria, which is medicinally inert. Caraka has described two kinds of kutaja namely female and male kuta