INDRAVARUNI (Root)
Indravaruni consists of dried root of Citrullus colocynthis Schrad. (Fam. Cucurbitacem); an annual or perennial, wild herb with prostrate or climbing stem, occurring throughout the country.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Indravalli, Indravarunika, Gavaksi, Satakratulata, Endri
Assamese : —
Bengali : Rakhal Sasa Mul
English : Colocynth, Bitter apple
Gujrati : Indravaran, Indrayan, Indramanoa, Indarvaranova
Hindi : Indrayan
Kannada : Havumekke, Havumakke, Indravaruni, Tuntikai, Kadukavadi
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Valiyakattuvell, Valiya Pekkumatti, Cheeiyakattuvellari
Marathi : Endrayana, Indravarana
Oriya : Gothakakucti, Indrayanalata, Garukhiya
Punjabi : Kaudatumma, Tumbi
Tamil : Paikamatti, Paythumatti, Varithummati, Aruthununatti
Telugu : Chedu Puchcha
Urdu : Hanzal, Indrayan
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Root available in cut pieces of 2-7 cm long, 0.2-2.5 cm thick, cylindrical, slightly twisted; dull yellow; longitudinal fissures present; fracture, short; taste, intensively bitter.
b) Microscopic
Root – Mature root shows wavy outline consisting of 6-10 layers of rectangular, thick walled, tangentially elongated cork cells, a few filled with dark brown contents; secondary cortex consists of 10-15 layers of elliptical, tangentially elongated, thin walled, parenchymatous cells; secondary phloem a narrow-zone, composed of sieve elements, parenchyma and medullary rays; xylem forms bulk of root, consisting of vessels, fibres, parenchyma and medullary rays; vessels mostly solitary or in groups of two to four having reticulate and spiral thickenings; fibres aseptate, thick-walled, pitted, elongated with pointed ends, lying around vessels; medullary rays poorly developed and uniseriate; starch grains oval to round in shape 2,5-7.5 n in dia. mostly simple or rarely compound having 2-3 components, found scattered throughout but more abundantly in phloem parenchyma.
Powder – Dirty yellow; shows aseptate fibres, reticulate and spiral vessels, starch grains simple or occasionally compound measuring 2.5 – 7.5 n in dia.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 8 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 6.5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 20 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of alcoholic extract of the drug on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Chloroform:Methanol (85:15) shows under U.V. (366 nm) two fluorescent spots at Rf. 0.16 and 0.30 (both blue). On spraying with Vanillin-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for about ten minutes at 105°C two spots appear at Rf. 0.16 and 0.30 (both greyish blue).
CONSTITUENTS – Saponin and traces of Alkaloid.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Katu, Tikta
Guna : Laghu, Sara
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Kaphahara, Pittahara, Recana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Abhayarisa, Rodhrasava, Mrtasanjivani Sura, Brhatmanjisthadi Kvatha Curna, Narayana Curna, Misraka Sheha, Triphaladi Taila, Mahavisagarbha Taila.
THERAPEUTIC USES – Apaci, Svasa, Gulma, Kamala, Kasa, Krmiroga, Kustha, Prameha, Vrana, Pliharoga, Visavikara, Gandamala.
DOSE – 1-3 g. of the drug in powder form.
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