GANGERU (Stem bark)
Gangeru consists of dried stem bark of Grewia tenax (Forsk.) Aschers & Schwf., Syn. Grewia populifolia Vahl, (Fam. Tiliacem), a shrub 0.6-1.0 m high, occurring in North Western and central part of the country and in Deccan Peninsula.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Gangeruki
Assamese : —
Bengali : Garakshachakule
English : —
Gujrati : Gangeti
Hindi : Gangeran
Kannada : Turuve
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Oorakam
Marathi : Gangeti
Oriya : Ghodaguli
Punjabi : Ganger
Tamil : Achchu
Telugu : Gangeruki
Urdu : Gangeran
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Drug occurs as cut pieces; 1.5-5 cm long, light yellow, channelled, fibrous; external surface smooth; fracture, fibrous; taste, mucilaginous.
b) Microscopic
Stem Bark – Shows a wide cork, consisting of 12-20 layered, rectangular, radially arranged cells, a few inner cells contain rectangular crystals of calcium oxalate; secondary cortex wide, consisting of tangentially elongated, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells, a few cortical cells towards cork also contain prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate; oval, elliptical, thick-walled, lignified cells with wide lumen and clear pit canals, moderately large in size, a few stone cells, found scattered in groups throughout secondary cortex and in a row towards inner cortical region; secondary phloem composed of sieve elements, parenchyma and numerous thick-walled, cellulosic fibres with wide lumen, blunt tips and moderately long in size, arranged in radial groups, traversed by wide phloem rays; a few ray cells contain prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate.
Powder – Light yellow and fibrous; under microscope shows phloem fibres in groups or singles, stone cells and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 1 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 9 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 6 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 alcoholic extract of the drug on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Toluene:
Ethylacetate (90 :10). Two spots are seen at Rf. 0.17, 0.35 (both light yellow) in visible light. Under U.V. (366 nm) six fluorescent zones visible at Rf. 0.08 (blue) 0.13 (blue), 0.29 (blue), 0.35 (dark blue), 0.55 (blue) & 0.64 (blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour ten spots appear at Rf. 0.08, 0.17, 0.27, 0.35, 0.41, 0.48, 0.55, 0.61, 0.68 & 0.88 (all yellow). On spraying with Anisaldehyde-Sulphuric acid reagent seven spots appear at Rf. 0.08 (violet). 0.17 (light violet), 0.27 (light violet), 0.35 (violet), 0.48 (violet), 0.68 (light violet) & 0.88 (light violet).
CONSTITUENTS – Sugar, Tannin and Sterols (Triacontan-l-ol, α-amyrin, β-amyrin etc.).
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Amla, Katu, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Guru
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Tridosahara, Sangrahaka
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Jirakadi Modaka.
THERAPEUTIC USES – Vrana, Pittavikara.
DOSE – 2-3 g. of the drug in powder form.
Latest Govt Job & Exam Updates: