JAMBU (Seed)
Jambu consists of dried seeds of Syzygium cuminii (Linn.) Skeels Syn. Eugenia jambolana Lam.; E. cuminii Druce. (Fam. Myrtacem); a large evergreen tree, attaining a height of 30 m and a girth of 3.6 m with a bole up to 15 m, found throughout India upto an altitude of 1,800 m.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : —
Assamese : —
Bengali : Badjam, Kalajam
English : Jambul tree
Gujrati : Gambu, Jamun
Hindi : Jamuna
Kannada : Nerale Beeja, Jambu Nerale
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Njaval
Marathi : Jambul
Oriya : Jam Kol, Jamu Kol
Punjabi : Jaamun
Tamil : Naval
Telugu : Alla Nereduchettu, Neredu chettu
Urdu : Jamun
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
2-5 seeds, compressed together into a mass resembling a single seed, the whole seed enclosed in a cream coloured, coriaceous covering, smooth, oval or roundish, 1 cm long, 1 cm wide, brownish-black; taste, astringent.
b) Microscopic
Seed – Shows cotyledons consisting of single layered epidermis, mesophyll composed of isodiametric, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells fully packed with simple starch grains, oval, rounded measuring 7-28 n in dia., a few schizogenous cavities are also found.
Powder – Brown coloured; shows a few parenchymatous cells and numerous oval, rounded starch grains, measuring 7-28 n in diameter.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 1 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 1 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 6 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 15 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of alcoholic extract of the drug on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Toluene:Ethylaceate (90: 10) shows under U.V. light (366 nm) one fluorescent zone at Rf. 0.30 (blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour four spots appear at Rf. 0.12, 0.20, 0.30 and 0.95 (all yellow). On spraying with Vanillin-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for ten minutes at 105°C, three spots appear at Rf. 0.20, 0.30 and 0.95 and 0.95 (all violet).
CONSTITUENTS – Glycoside (Jamboline), Tannin, Ellagic acid and Gallic acid.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Amla, Kasaya
Guna : Guru, Ruksa
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Grahi, Kaphahara, Pittahara, Vistambhi, Vatala
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Pusyanuga Curna.
THERAPEUTIC USES – Madhumeha, Udakameha.
DOSE – 3-6 g. of the drug in powder form.
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