VANDA (Stem)
Vanda consists of the dried stem of Dendrophthoe falcata (Linn. f.) Ettingsh. syn. Loranthus falcatus Linn. f. (Fam. Loranthacem), an epiphyte, mostly on fruit trees, and distributed throughout India.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Bandaka, Samharsa, Vrksadani, Vrksaruha
Assamese : —
Bengali : Maandaa
English : Mistletoe
Gujrati : Baando
Hindi : Bandaa
Kannada : Bandhulu, Badanike
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Itil, Ittikkanni
Marathi : Baandagul, Banda
Oriya : Vrudhongo
Punjabi : —
Tamil : Pulluri
Telugu : Baadanikaa, Jiddu
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Small twigs of mrial branches ranging from 2 mm to 2.5 cm in thickness; the bark of stem thin, dark brown and specked with lighter brown, uniformly distributed lenticles; the wood reddish-brown after removal of thin bark; stem slightly rough to touch; fracture irregular; fractured surface dark brown; no distinct taste or odour.
b) Microscopic
A transverse section of stem reveals a circular outline with a thick cuticle, and epidermis made up of squarish or barrel shaped cells with convex outer periclinal walls and interrupted here and there by lenticular openings; cork made up of thin-walled, crushed rectangular cells; cortex consisting of many layers of tangentially elongated and rounded cells interspersed with sclereids upto 85 n in size and in groups of 2 to 4; many cells of cortex, especially those of outer few layers contain tannins ranging in colour from yellow, orange to dark brown; groups of pericyclic fibres form a ring outside phloem; cambium present; xylem surrounding the central pith and composed of well developed vessels, fibre and parenchyma, 1 to 4 seriate medullary rays composed of radially elongated cells present; pith consists of thin walled, rounded or polygonal parenchymatous cells; small groups of sclereids, up to 85 n each in size present in both pith and medullary rays; prismatic crystals present in association with sclereids and medullary ray cells.
Powder – Powder shows vessel elements with simple pitted thickenings, groups of sclereids containing prismatic crystals (size of crystal 30 to 35 n long and 15 to 17 n wide) and fragments of parenchyma cells containing tannins.
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 3 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 3 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of the alcohol soluble extract of the drug in chloroform as a mobile phase shows under UV (366 nm) spots Rf 0.13 (Grey); 0.24 (Green); 0.35 (Blue); 0.56 (Yellow); 0.76 (Grey); 0.85 (Orange Pink); 0.96 (Pink).
CONSTITUENTS – Young shoots contain nearly 10 per cent tannins and the stem contains β-amyrin-0-acetate, oleonolic acid its methyl ester acetate,β-sitosterol and stigmasterol.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Sramahara, Sukrajanana, Garbhasthapana, Grahi, Grahanasana, Kaphahara, Mutravirecaniya, Mangalakara, Netrya, Pittahara, Raksoghna, Rasayana, Vatahara, Vrsya, Vranaropana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – (No formulations)
THERAPEUTIC USES – Bhagandara, Hikka, Mutraroga, Raktapitta, Vata-Smari, Vandhyatva, Visamajvara, Visaroga, Vrana
DOSE – 10 – 20 ml juice.