DARBHA (Root)
Darbha consists of root of Imperata cylindrica (Linn.) Beauv. (Fam. Poacem), a perennial, erect, 30 to 90 cm tall tufted grass, distributed in the hotter parts of India from Punjab southwards.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Yajnmula, Ulu, Kutuka, Kharadarbha, Svetadarbha
Assamese : —
Bengali : Ulu
English : Thatch grass, Cogon grass
Gujrati : Daabhdo, Darabh
Hindi : Daabha, Siru, Ulu
Kannada : Sanna dabbac hullu
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Vidulam
Marathi : Darsnaa, Dhub
Oriya : —
Punjabi : Daaba, Sil
Tamil : Darbhaipul, Nanal
Telugu : Darbalu, Darbha gaddi, Modewa gaddi
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
The roots are fibrous, upto 2 mm. in diameter, arising from the nodes of stolons; surface uneven, with fine wrinkles, light brown to dark brown in colour; fracture, fibrous; taste and odour-indistinct.
b) Microscopic
T.S. shows single layered epidermis with a few long root hairs, followed by cortex which can be differentiated into outer and inner regions; outer cortex represented by 3 to 5 layers of circular to oval-shaped thin walled parenchyma cells; inner cortical region exhibits numerous air cavities lined by thin walled radially elongated parenchymatous cells forming the trabeculm; the central region of the root exhibits a typical monocotyledonous structure having 10 to 15 bundles of xylem elements alternating with small patches of phloem and surrounded by rings of endodermis and pericycle; except those of phloem elements all the cells from metaxylem to pericycle region are thick walled and lignified; the centre of the vascular cylinder is occupied by pith consisting of thin walled parenchymatous cells; the vessels are border pitted; tracheids exhibit bordered pits as well as reticulate thickening; parenchyma of vascular region are pitted and fibres are thick walled with pointed to tapering ends.
Powder – The powder exhibits fragments of hairs, thin walled parenchyma cells, thick walled fibres with tapering or pointed ends; border pitted vessels, elongated tracheids with tapering to blunt ends exhibiting reticulate thickening or bordered pits and rectangular, thick walled, pitted parenchyma cells.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 4 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 3 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 4 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
TLC of alcoholic extract on pre-coated Silica ‘G’ plates (Merck), using Chloroform: Toulene:Ethanol:Acetic : Water (22:8:1:0.5:1, lower phase), shows under U.V. (254 nm) two white fluorescent spots at Rf.0.72 and 0.42; on exposure to iodine vapours six spots appear at Rf. 0.94, 0.85, 0.72, 0.45, 0.39 (all yellow) and 0.36 (orange); after spraying with 5% ethanolic-sulphuric acid and heating the plate at 1100C for 30 minutes, ten spots appear at Rf. 0.94 (dark brown), 0.85 (light brown), 0.76 (faint brown), 0.72 (brown), 0.52 (light brown), 0.45 (light brown), 0.39 (violet), 0.36 (yellow), 0.26 (orange) and 0.21 (faint brown).
CONSTITUENTS – Contains five triterpenoids viz. cylindrin, arundoin, fernenon, isoburneol and simiarenol.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Snigdha
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Rasayana, Vamaka, Tridasahara, Mutravirecaniya, Stanyajanana, Pipasahara, Kusthaghna, Dahaprasamana,
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Karpuradyarka, Brahmarasayana, Traikantaka Ghrta, Sukumara Ghrta
THERAPEUTIC USES – Asmari, Daha, Jvara, Mutraghata, Mutrakrcchra, Raktapitta, Visarpa, Bastisula, Trsa, Raktapradara, Raktarsa, Pradara, Pittabhisyanda
DOSE – 10-20 g for decoction.
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