SRNGATAKA (Dried Seed)
Srngataka consists of dried seeds of Trapa natans Linn. var. bispinosa (Roxb.) Makino. Syn. T. bispinosa Roxb. T. quadrispinosa Wall. (Fam. Trapacem), a very variable, rooted, aquatic herb occurring throughout the greater part of the country in lakes, tanks and ponds arid also extensively grown
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Srngata, Jalaphala, Trikonaphala
Assamese : —
Bengali : Paniphal, Singade, Jalfal
English : Water Chestnut
Gujrati : Shingoda, Singoda
Hindi : Singhara, Singhada
Kannada : Singade, Gara, Simgara, Simgoda
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Karimpolam, Vankotta, Jalaphalam, Karimpola
Marathi : Shingoda
Oriya : Paniphala, Singada
Punjabi : Singhade, Gaunaree
Tamil : Singhara
Telugu : Kubyakam, Singada
Urdu : Singhara
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Seeds somewhat triangular to 4-angled in shape, with or without shallow groove on both surfaces, 2 to 3.0 cm long and 2.5 to 3.5 cm wide; externally reddish-brown; mostly one surface mottled, smooth in texture.
b) Microscopic
Shows testa of three zones, outer zone consisting of tangentially elongated or somewhat crushed, 3 to 6 layered parenchymatous cells, middle zone of lignified cells, inner zone of rectangular and tangentially elongated thin-walled cells having reddish brown contents; tegmen 2 or 3 layered, comprising of tangentially elongated cells, rest of the seed consisting of thin-walled, parenchymatous cells; starch grains simple, or in groups, oval to round having distinct striations and hilum, measuring 6 to 45 n in dia, a few vascular strands with vessels showing spiral thickening, found scattered in this region. Distinction from Arrow root (a possible substitute)- Arrow root (Maranta arundinacea Linn.) starch is more irregular in shape, being ellipsoid, pear-shaped or even almost trigonal, occasionally showing small tuberosities; hilum stellar or cleft, slightly eccentric, being situated near the broader end; fine concentric striations are visible in most granules.
Powder – White; numerous simple, solitary and groups of circular to oval starch grains, having concentric striations and distinct hilum in centre, measuring upto 45 n in dia; a few fragments of testa consisting of oval to polygonal, thin-walled, parenchyma cells in surface view.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 3 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 0.3 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 8 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of alcoholic extract of the drug on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using n-Butanol : Acetic acid: Water (4:1:5) vlv shows under U.V. (366 nm) one fluorescent zone at Rf. 0.60 (blue). On spraying with 5% Methanolic-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for about ten minutes at Rf. 105oC three spots appear at Rf. 0.30 (grey), 0.43 (grey), and 0.93 (violet).
CONSTITUENTS – Starch and Protein.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Kasaya, Madhura
Guna : Guru
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Sramahara, Sukrakara, Garbhasthapana, Grahi, Pittahara, Vrsya, Stanyajanana, Rakta Stambhaka
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Amrtaprasa Ghrta, Saubhagya Sunthi, Pugakhanda
THERAPEUTIC USES – Asthibhagna, Daha, Mutrakrcchra, Prameha, Raktapitta, Trsa, Visarpa, Garbha Srava, Sopha(external), Vatavyadhi
DOSE – 5-10 mg of the drug in powder form.
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