ARALU (Stem Bark)
Aralu consists of dried stem bark of Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. (Fam. Simarubaceae); a large deciduous tree occurring in Bihar, Chhota Nagpur, Madhya Pradesh, forests of Ganjam, Vishakhapatnam and Deccan.
SYNONYMS –
Sansk : Katvanga, Dirghavrnta
Assam : Aralu
Beng : —
Eng : —
Guj : Aralavo
Hindi : Arlu, Maruk, Ghoda Karanj
Kan : Hiremara Hebbever
Kash : Merumaram, Mattipongilyam
Mal : Merumaram, Mattipongilyam
Mar : Ghoda Karanj
Ori : Dakshinakabala, Mahala
Punj : Aruo
Tam : Peruvagai
Tel : Peddmanu
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION –
a) Macroscopic:
Bark thick, external surface light grey, granular and rough due to presence of longitudinal ridges, internal surface yellowish-white and fibrous; fracture, fibrous; odour, disagreeable when fresh; taste, bitter.
b) Microscopic:
Stem Bark cork multilayered, compactly arranged, tangentially elongated, thinwalled cells obliterated at certain points due to rhytidoma; secondary cortex narrow, composed of tangentially elongated cells, a few cells contain rosette and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate; phloem, wide, consisting of sieve elements, parenchyma, fibres and stone cells; a few layers of outer phloem collapsed forming ceratenchyma; stone cells, in groups and in singles, present towards outer region of phloem; lignified fibres present in groups in radial rows in inner phloem region; calcium oxalate crystals similar to those found in secondary cortex also found in phloem region; medullary rays not distinct.
Powder – Brownish-yellow, fragments of cork cells; groups or single, oval to polygonal, thick-walled, lignified, stone cells, having wide lumen with distinct striations, lignified phloem fibres, a few rosette and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH –
Foreign matter Not more than 2 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.2
Total ash Not more than 8.5 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 1.5 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.6
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 5.5 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.7
T.L.C. –
T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Chloroform: Methanol (95 : 5) shows under U.V. (366 nm) twelve fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.07 (sky blue), 0.10 (sky blue) 0.21, 0.38, 0.47 (all yellow), 0.57 (sky blue), 0.71 (light sky blue), 0.76, 0.81 (both yellow), 0.84 (sky blue), 0.93 (whitish blue) and 0.97 (sky blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour twelve spots appear at Rf. 0.07, 0.10, 0.21, 0.38, 0.47, 0.57, 0.71, 0.76, 0.81, 0.84, 0.93 and 0.97 (all yellow). On spraying with 5% Methanolic-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate at 105°C for fifteen minutes thirteen spots appear at Rf. 0.07, 0.01(both grey), 0.21 (light brown), 0.24 (blue), 0.38, 0.47 (both light brown), 0.52 (pink), 0.59 (blue), 0.71, 0.76 (both light brown), 0.84 (blue), 0.93 and 0.97 (both dark grey).
CONSTITUENTS – β-Sitosterol, Quassinoids, Ailantic Acid, 2-6 Dimethoxy-Benzoquinone and Melanthin.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION –
Rasa : Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Ruksa
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Dipana, Grahi, Pacana, Kaphapitta, Samaka, Vranasodhana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Pusyanuga Curna, Brhat Gangadhara Curna, Aralu Putapaka
THERAPEUTIC USES – Atisara, Krmi, Arsa, Sannipata Jvara, Bhrama, Tvakaroga, Chardi, Kustha, Pravahika, Grahani, Prmeha, Svasa, Gulma, Musaka Visaja Roga
DOSE – 1-3 g.
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