SIMSAPA (Stem Bark)
Simsapa consists of dried stem bark of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. (Fam. Fabacem); a medium sized, deciduous tree, found in Western Himalayas upto 1220 m altitude, and from Sikkim to upper Assam, and extensively planted throughout the country.
SYNONYMS
Sansk. : Krsana Sara, Syama
Assam. : —
Beng. : Shishu
Eng. : Sissoo Tree
Guj. : Siram
Hindi. : Seesam
Kan. : Eragundimavu, Bindi
Kash. : —
Mal. : Irupoola
Mar. : Sisu, Shisav
Ori. : Sisu, Sinsapa
Punj. : Sheesham
Tam. : Irupoolai
Tel. : Irugudu, Virugudu, Sissoo
Urdu. : Sheesham
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Bark 3-5 cm long, curved or flat, fibrous, cut pieces; external surface rough with shallow, broad longitudinal fissures, exfoliating in irregular, woody strips and scales; pale yellow to dark reddish-brown; fracture, fibrous.
b) Microscopic
Mature stem bark consists of 6-25 or more rows of rectangular, thin-walled, radially arranged cork cells, a few outer layers exfoliating; secondary cortex wide consisting of round or oval, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells, a number of groups of sclerenchymatous cells, found scattered throughout secondary cortex, a few cortical cells contain prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate; secondary phloem very wide consisting of usual elements of thin-walled cells and tangential strips of phloem fibres; collapsed, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells present in tangential strips throughout the secondary phloem; most of phloem fibres and parenchyma cells contain prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate; phloem rays short, uni to triseriate, consisting of radially elongated, thin-walled, parenchymatous. cells.
Powder – Light brown; shows thin-walled parenchymatous cells, phloem fibres, fragments of cork cells and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.2
Total ash Not more than 14 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.3
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 2 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.4
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 5 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.6
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 7 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.7
T.L.C. –
T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Toluene: Ethylacetate (9 : 1) shows under UV (366 nm) five fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.28, 0.59, 0.71, 0.78 and 0.93 (all blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour six spots appear at Rf. 0.34, 0.51, 0.59, 0.71. 0.75 and 0.78 (all yellow). On spraying with Vanillin-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for fifteen minutes at 105° C six spots appear at Rf. 0.34, 0.51, 0.59, 0.71, 0.75, 0.78 (all violet).
CONSTITUENTS – Flavonoids.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Balya, Rucikara, Tridosahara, Vamaka, Vransodhana, Garbhapatkar, Medoara
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Narasimhaghrta Rasayana
THERAPEUTIC USES – Kustha, Svitra, Krmi, Bastiroga , Dusta, Vrana, Daha, Kandu, Hikka, Sopha, Visarpa, Pinasa
DOSE – 3-6 g. of the drug in powder form
50-100 ml of the drug for decoction
Latest Govt Job & Exam Updates: