KAPITTHA (Fruit Pulp)
Kapittha consists of dried pulp of mature fruit of Feronia limonia (Linn.) Swingle. Syn. F. elephantum Correa (Faro. Rutacem); a deciduous, glabrous tree with strong, sharp,
straight, axillary thorns, found throughout the plains of India, Siwalik range and forests, at base of Himalayas upto an elevation of 450 m; often cultivated in many parts of India; fruit rind is removed and the pulp is bruised and dried.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Danta Satha, Kapipriya
Assamese : —
Bengali : Kayet Bml, Kavataleal, Kavita
English : Wood apple
Gujrati : Kotha, Kondhu
Hindi : Kaitha
Kannada : Bekalu, Belada hannu, Bilvara, Belalu, Balada, Haminamara
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Vilar maram, Villanga Kaaya
Marathi : Kavatha
Oriya : —
Punjabi : Kainth
Tamil : Vilamaram, Vilangai
Telugu : Velaga
Urdu : Kaith
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Fruit pulp occurs mostly in broken pieces and sometimes entire, measuring about 4-5 cm in dia; semicircular, rough, hard, having longitudinal ridges and furrows; reddish brown; odour, aromatic; taste, sour.
b) Microscopic
Fruit Pulp – shows irregular, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells; numerous idioblast cells filled with reddish-brown content; stone cells, slightly triangular and oval, with concentric striations and narrow lumen, found in groups; a few fibro-vascular bundles distributed in the pulp; xylem vessels having spiral thickenings.
Powder – Reddish-brown; shows fragments of fibro-vascular bundles, stone cells, triangular to oval with concentric striations and narrow lumen, vessels and idioblast filled with cell content.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 6 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 12 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 25 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of alcoholic extract of the drug on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Chloroform :Ethylacetate : Formic acid (5:4:1) shows one spot at Rf. 0.91 (grey) in visible light. Under U.V. (366 nm) three fluorescent zones appear at Rf 0.14 (sky blue), 0.91 (blue) and 0.95 (blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour six spots appear at Rf. 0.06, 0.12, 0.37, 0.50, 6.91 and 0.95 (all yellow). On spraying with 5% Methanolic-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate at 110°C for ten minutes five spots appear at Rf. 0.12 (brown), 0.37 (brown), 0.50 (violet), 0.91 (violet) and 0.95 (violet) .
CONSTITUENTS – Citric acid and Mucilage.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Amla, Kasaya, Unripe Pulp: Amla, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Unripe Pulp: Guru
Virya : Sita, Unripe Pulp: Usna
Vipaka : Madhura, Unripe Pulp: Amla
Karma : Vrsya, Pittavatahara, Sangrahi, Vrananasaka, Unripe Pulp: Kaphaghna, Lekhana, Grahi, Vatala
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Kapitthastaka Curna, Yavanyadi Curna.
THERAPEUTIC USES – Svasa, Ripe-Trsa, Hikka, Vami, Unripe-Grahani Roga, Agnimandya.
DOSE – 1-3 g. of the drug in powder form.
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