GAVEDHUKA (Root)
Gavedhuka consists of the dried root of Coix lachryma-jobi Linn. syn. C. lachryma Linn. (Fam. Graminem), a perennial or annual grass found in India, widely distributed throughout the plains and warm slopes of hills upto 1500 m.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Gavedhu, Gavedhuka
Assamese : —
Bengali : Gadagad, Dedhaan, Devaan
English : Adlay, Jobs tears
Gujrati : Kasai
Hindi : Kasai, Garheduaa, Garahedu, Gargari
Kannada : Manjutti
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Kaatugotampu, Kaakkappalunku
Marathi : Kasai
Oriya : —
Punjabi : —
Tamil : Kaattukuntumani
Telugu : Adaviguruginja
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Roots fibrous, 1 to 3 mm in thickness, present in tufts, unbranched with tapering ends, hollow in centre, straw coloured, woody smell and pungent taste.
b) Microscopic
T.S. of root shows presence of ruptured piliferous layer consisting of closely packed elongated cells; below the epidermis one layered exodermis, a well developed cortex, with several layers of parenchymatous cells, mostly oval or rounded with intercellular spaces present; exodermal cells are lignified; cortex consists of 4 or 5 layered thick walled sclerenchymatous cells towards periphery; middle region consists of large thin walled parenchymatous cells and the inner region is made up of air spaces traversed by broad trabeculm; endodermis characterised by the presence of casparian strips on both transverse and radial walls, pericyclic fibres thick walled; vascular bundles polyarch, composed of alternating strands of xylem and phloem, both with their usual elements; parenchymatous pith present, starch absent.
Powder– Powder light brown in colour, woody smell and pungent taste; shows thick walled fibres with broad lumen, tracheids with dense helical thickenings and border pits; shows hexagonal striated epidermal cells; double walled hexagonal sclerenchymatous cells of exodermis.
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 1 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 10 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 10 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of the methanolic extract on silica gel ‘G’ plate (0.2 mm thick) using toluene: ethyl acetate: methanol (85:15:0.5) shows under UV (366 nm) spots at Rf. 0.33 (greenish blue) and 0.71 (light blue). After spraying with anisaldehyde-sulphuric acid reagent, spots appear at Rf. 0.34 (green) and 0.42 (purple).
CONSTITUENTS – Benzoxazolinones, amino acids (leucine, tyrosine, histadin, arginine and coicin).
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Katu
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Kaphahara, Mutrala, Pittahara, Karsniya
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Visnu Taila
THERAPEUTIC USES – Mutrakrcchra, Netra-Masurika, Pittaja Chardi, Sthaulya
DOSE – 3-6 g.
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