AMRATA (Stem)
Amrata consists of dried stem of Spondias pinnata (Linn. f.) Kurz Syn. S. mangifera Willd., S. acuminata Roxb. non Gamble (Fam. Anacardiaceae); a small, aromatic, deciduous tree, upto 27 m high and 2-5 m in girth, found wild or cultivated almost throughout the country, ascending upto an altitude of 1500 m in the Himalayas, and also distributed in Andamans.
SYNONYMS –
Sansk. : Amrataka, Markatamrah, Kapitana,
Assam. : Amda
Beng. : Amda
Eng. : Indian Hog. Plum, Hog Plum
Guj. : Jangali Ambo, Ambeda
Hindi. : Ambada
Kan. : Ambate, Amatemara
Kash. : —
Mal. : Ambazham
Mar. : Ambada
Ori. : Aabada
Punj. : —
Tam. : Mampulecci, Mampulicci
Tel. : Ambalamu
Urdu. : —
DESCRIPTION –
a) Macroscopic:
Stem occurs in cut pieces, about 3.5 – 10.0 cm long, 1.0-3.0 cm in dia., cylindrical, more or less rough due to longitudinal wrinkles; occasionally a few round, prominent leaf scars also present, reddish-grey externally having lenticel, white or cream coloured internally with prominent dark brown centre, light in weight; fracture very hard; odour and taste not characteristic.
b) Microscopic:
Mature stem shows a wide zone of cork ranging from 15-25 rows, comprising of tangentially elongated, radially arranged, thin-walled cells containing reddish-brown contents, a few outer cells exfoliating; secondary cortex consisting of 15-17 layers, oval to polygonal, tangentially elongated, thin-walled cells, followed by 2-3 tangential bands comprising of groups of stone cells; secondary phloem consisting of usual elements; phloem fibres arranged in tangential bands, thick-walled, lignified; prominent lysigenous cavities surrounded by a number of tannin sacs present in between the patches of phloem fibres; phloem parenchyma consisting of thin-walled cells having a few prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate; secondary xylem consists of usual elements, lignified; vessels single or in groups of 2-4 having simple pits, occasionally reticulate thickening, fibres fusiform with blunt tips; tracheids thick-walled; xylem rays 1-2 cells wide and 3-11 cells high; starch grains simple, round to oval having concentric striations and hilum, measuring 3-14 μ in dia., present in secondary cortex, phloem parenchyma, xylem parenchyma and xylem rays.
Powder – Grey; shows fragments of cork cells, phloem fibres, stone cells mostly in groups, occasionally single; a few prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate, simple and reticulate vessels; starch grains simple, round to oval having concentric striations and hilum in centre, measuring 3-14 μ in diameter.
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 0.5 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 5 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.7
T.L.C. –
T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Chloroform :
Ethylacetate : Formic acid (5 : 4 : 1) shows in visible light three spots at Rf. 0.08, 0.74 and 0.83 (all grey). Under UV (366 nm) five fluorescent zones are visible at Rf. 0.04, 0.79, 0.83, 0.87 (all blue) and 0.93 (sky blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour six spots appear at Rf. 0.13, 0.48, 0.74, 0.83,0.87 and 0.93 (all yellow). On spraying with 10% Ferric chloride solution (aqueous) reagent two spots appear at Rf. 0.04 and 0.93 (both blue).
CONSTITUENTS – Tannins
PROPERTIES AND ACTION –
Rasa : Kasaya, Amla
Guna : Guru
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Vataghna, Saraka
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Dadhika Ghrta
THERAPEUTIC USES – Daha, Ksaya, Rakta Vikara, Atisara
DOSE – 1-3 g. of powder.
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