KANUKA (Rhizome)
Kauka consists of the dried rhizome with root of Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth. (Fam. Scrophulariacem); a perennial, more or less hairy herb common on the northwestern Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim. Rhizome is cut into small pieces.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Tikta, Tiktarohini, Kaurohini, Kavi, Sutiktaka, Kauka, Rohini.
Assamese : Katki, Kutki
Bengali : —
English : Hellebore
Gujrati : Kadu, Katu
Hindi : Kutki
Kannada : Katuka rohini, katuka rohini
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Kaduk rohini, Katuka rohini
Marathi : Kutki, Kalikutki
Oriya : Katuki
Punjabi : Karru, kaur
Tamil : Katuka rohini, Katuku rohini, Kadugurohini
Telugu : Karukarohini
Urdu : Kutki
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Rhizome – 2.5-8 cm long and 4-8 mm thick, subcylindrical, straight or slightly curved, externally greyish-brown, surface rough due to longitudinal wrinkles, circular scars of roots and bud scales and sometimes roots attached, tip ends in a growing bud surrounded by tufted crown of leaves, at places cork exfoliates exposing dark cortex; fracture, short; odour, pleasant; taste, bitter. .
Root – Thin, cylindrical, 5-10 cm long, 0.05-0.1 cm in diameter, straight or slightly curved with a few longitudinal wrinkles and dotted scars, mostly attached with rhizomes, dusty grey, fracture, short, inner surface black with whitish xylem; odour, pleasant; taste, bitter.
b) Microscopic
Rhizome – Shows 20-25 layers of cork consisting of tangentially elongated, suberised cells; cork cambium 1-2 layered; cortex single layered or absent, primary cortex persists in some cases, one or two small vascular bundles present in cortex; vascular bundles surrounded by single layered endodermis of thick-walled cells; secondary phloem composed of phloem parenchyma and a few scattered fibres; cambium 2-4 layered; secondary xylem consists of vessels, tracheids, xylem fibres and xylem parenchyma, vessels vary in shape and size having transverse oblique articulation; tracheids long, thick-walled, lignified, more or less cylindrical with blunt tapering ends; xylem parenchyma thin-walled and polygonal in shape; centre occupied by a small pith consisting of thin-walled cells; simple round to oval, starch grains, measuring 25-104 n in dia., abundantly found in all cells.
Root -Young root shows single layered epidermis, some epidermal cells elongate forming unicellular hairs; hypodermis single layered; cortex 8-14 layered; consisting of oval to polygonal, thick-walled, parenchymatous cells; primary stele tetrach to heptarch, enclosed by single layered pericycle and single layered, thick-walled cells of endodermis; mature root shows 4-15 layers of cork, 1-2 layers of cork cambium; secondary phloem poorly developed; secondary xylem consisting of vessels, tracheids, parenchyma and fibres; vessels have varying shape and size, some cylindrical with taillike, tapering ends, some drum shaped with perforation on end walls or lateral walls; tracheids cylindrical with tapering pointed ends; fibres aseptate, thick-walled, lignified with tapering blunt chisel-like pointed ends.
Powder – Dusty grey; shows groups of fragments of cork cells, thick-walled, parenchyma, pitted vessels and aseptate fibres, simple round to oval, starch grains, measuring 25 – 104 n in diameter.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 7 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 10 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 20 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:
Methanol (95 : 5) shows under U.V. light (366 nm) three fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.05 (blue), 0.30 (blue) and 0.35 (green). On exposure to Iodine vapour nine spots appear at Rf. 0.10, 0.17, 0.21, 0.30, 0.37, 0.41, 0.62, 0.72 and 0.84 (all yellow). On spraying with 5% methanolic sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for about ten minutes at 105°C seven spots appear at Rf. 0.05, 0.10, 0.17, 0.21, 0.30, 0.41 and 0.84 (all brownish grey).
CONSTITUENTS – Glucoside (Picrorhizin).
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Katu, Tikta
Guna : Laghu
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Hrdya, Pittahara, Dipani, Bhedini, Jvarahara
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Arogyavardhini Gutika, Tiktaka Ghrta, Sarvajvarahara Lauha, Mahatikataka Ghrta.
THERAPEUTIC USES – Svasa, Daha, Jvara, Kamala, Kustha, Visamajvara, Arocaka.
DOSE – 1 – 3 g. of the drug in powder form.
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