BHALLATAKA (Fruit)
Bhallataka consists of mature fruit of Semecarpus anacardium Linn. (Fam. Anacardiaceae), a medium sized tree found in moist deciduous forests all over the country.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Aruskara, Bhallata
Assamese : Bhelaguti
Bengali : Bhela
English : Marking Nut
Gujrati : Bhilam
Hindi : Bhilawa
Kannada : Bhallataka
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Chera
Marathi : Bibba
Oriya : Bhollataki, Bholai
Punjabi : Bhilawa
Tamil : Tatamkottai, Scramkotati
Telugu : Nallajidi, Nallajidiginga
Urdu : Baladur, Bhilavan
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Fruit laterally flattened, drupaceous, dark brown, nut 2.5-3 cm long, obliquely ovoid, smooth, shining with residual receptacle.
b) Microscopic
Fruit – Pericarp differentiated into epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp; in longitudinal section pericarp shows outer epicarp consisting of single layer of epidermal cells which are elongated radially and lignified, characteristic glands found in pericarp which exude oil globules and arise as small protuberances in epicarp and due to pressure exerted by cells of mesocarp, some of epidermal cells and cuticle rupture and oil globules exude from oil glands; mesocarp a very broad zone, 30-40 layers thick, composed mostly of parenchymatous cells having lysigenous cavities and fibro-vascular bundles, below epidermis a few outer cells of parenchyma smaller as compared to rest; rosette crystals of calcium oxalate found scattered in parenchymatous cells, some cells get dissolved and form lysigenous cavities which increase in size with maturity of fruit, cavities do not have any special lining and contain an acrid and irritant yellowish oily secretion; endocarp consists of two distinct layers, innermost prismatic, very much elongated radial walls, being highly thickened, outer layer shorter and thinner than prismatic layer but cells similar to the former; number of mesocarp parenchyma contain rosette crystals of calcium oxalate and oil drops in oil glands; lysigenous cavities of mesocarp contain oily vesicating substance, insoluble in water and soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform.
Powder – Dark-brown; shows rosette crystals of calcium oxalate and oil globules.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 1 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 4 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 0.5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 11 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
CONSTITUENTS – A Tarry Oil containing Anacardic Acid, Non-Volatile Alcohol (Cardol).
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Katu, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Snigdha, Tiksna
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Dipana, Kaphahara, Pacana, Vatahara, Chedi, Bhedi, Medhya
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Amrta Bhallataka Leha, Sanjivani Vati., Bhallataka Rasayana, Bhallatakadi Modaka
THERAPEUTIC USES – Arsa, Anaha, Grahani, Gulma, Krimi, Kustha.
DOSE – 1.2 g. of the drug in Ksirapaka form.
Note – For Bhallataka sodhan see A.F.I., Part-I
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