ATMAGUPTA (Root)
Atmagupta consists of dried root of Mucuna prurita Hook. Syn. M. pruriens (L.) DC. (Fam. Fabacem), a herbaceous twining annual found wild almost all over the country and in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Kapikacchu, Markai, Kandura, Sukasimbi, Kapiprabha
Assamese : —
Bengali : Aalkushee, Alkusa
English : Cowhage, Cowitch
Gujrati : Kaucha, Kavach
Hindi : Kevanch, Kaunch, Khujanee
Kannada : Nasukunnee, Nasuganni, Nayisonanguballi
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Shoriyanam, Naykkorana, Naykkuran
Marathi : Khajkuhilee
Oriya : Baikhujnee
Punjabi : Aalkushee, Kavanch
Tamil : Punaik-Kalee, Punaikkalee, Punaippidukkam
Telugu : Piliyadugu, Pillee adugu
Urdu : Kaunch
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Root long, 7 mm or more in thickness, hard, having lateral roots, dark brown to black; fracture, fibrous; odour and taste not distinct.
b) Microscopic
Root shows a narrow cork consisting of 4 or 5 rows of tangentially elongated cells; secondary cortex narrow consisting of 2 to 5 rows of thin-walled, parenchymatous cells, a few containing brownish contents; secondary phloem wide, forming bulk of the bark in the form of long, radial strips that are conical due to the medullary rays funneling out in the phloem region; phloem fibres are arranged in groups or occasionally single; phloem rays uni to biseriate; cambium distinct 1 or 2 layered; secondary xylem very wide composed of usual elements, vessels large as well as small, surrounded by xylem parenchyma and fibres; medullary rays in the xylem also mostly uniseriate, somewhat wavy, consisting of radially elongated thin-walled cells.
Powder – Grey to dark brown; shows fragments of cork, fibres singly or groups and xylem vessels.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 1 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 4 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using n-Butanol : Acetic acid: Water (4:1:5) shows under UV (366 nm) four fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.33, 0.51, 0.66 and 0.86 (all blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour seven spots appear at Rf. 0.10, 0.20, 0.38, 0.48, 0.59, 0.77 and 0.86 (all yellow). On spraying with Ninhydrin and on heating the plate at 110o C for ten minutes four conspicuous spots appear at Rf. 0.38, 0.48, 0.59 and 0.86 (all light pink).
CONSTITUENTS – Choline
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Guru, Snigdha
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Kaphahara, Pittahara, Vrsya, Brmhana, Balya, Y°nisamkirnakara, Vajikarana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – (No Formulations)
THERAPEUTIC USES – Sita Pitta, Krsata, Pakvatisara, Raktapitta, Vatavyadhi, Yoni Sithilata, Dusta Vrana, Kustha
DOSE – 3-6 g of the drug in the powder form for decoction
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