ITKATA (Stem)
Itkata consists of dried stem of Sesbania bispinosa W. F. Wight (Fam. Fabacem) an erect 1.5 to 2.5 m tall, annual, shrub with minute prickles on rachis and young branches, usually found as a weed in the rice fields or water logged areas in the plains of India.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Utkata, Vanajayanti
Assamese : —
Bengali : Dhanicha, Dhunsha
English : —
Gujrati : Ikad, Sasee Ikad
Hindi : Ikkada
Kannada : Mullu jinangi
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Kitamu
Marathi : Chinchani, Raanshevari
Oriya : Tentua
Punjabi : Jhanjhan
Tamil : Mudchembai, Nirchembai
Telugu : Ettejangaa
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Drug consists of chopped pieces of stem, 0.2 to 2.5 cm in diam. with fine striations; size and thickness variable, minute prickles observed only on thin young branches; greenish-brown externally and cream coloured internally; pith soft and white; odourless and tasteless.
b) Microscopic
T.S. shows wavy outline, epidermal cells tabular with moderately thick cuticle; some containing granular substances; cortex 5 to7 cells deep, composed of thin walled cells; some of those present below the epidermis contain tannins; endodermis present; pericycle composed of 3 to 6 cell layers of discontinuous patches of sclerenchymatous fibres about 20 to 33 n in diam.; towards the inner side of the sclerenchymatous fibre patches, tannin filled ducts of different sizes present; phloem 3 to 6 cells deep; cambium 3 to 5 cells deep, made up of compressed thin walled cells; xylem forms a closed ring around the central pith, showing secondary growth; the number of primary xylem equal to the ridges present on the outer surface of the stem; xylem vessels range from 24 to 82 n in diam.; towards the inner side of the primary xylem, a cavity filled with tannins is present similar to that beneath the phloem; ray cells show starch grains; pith parenchymatous.
Powder :Yellowish-brown, fine fibrous, free flowing, characterized by the presence of large thin walled cells filled with tannins, thin walled parenchymatous cells abundant, tissues with stomata present, tracheids and fibre cells are also found.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 1 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 5 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 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 8 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of methanol extract on silica gel 60 F 254 plate using Toluene : Acetone (90:10) shows seven spots at Rf 0.15, 0.23, 0.28, 0.31, 0.38, 0.55 and 0.91 on spraying with Vanillin-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for 15 minutes at 110oC.
CONSTITUENTS – Amino acids such as lysine, arginine, histidine.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura
Guna : Guru, Snigdha
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Pittahara, Vatahara, Slesmaprakopaka, Stanyajanana Mutravirecaniya
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Candanadi Taila (Caraka)
THERAPEUTIC USES – Asmari, Jvara, Kasa, Mutraghata, Mutrakrcchra, Netraroga, Pittasmari, Pratisyaya, Srkara, Mutraruja.
DOSE – 3-6 g.
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