KARAVALLAKA (Fresh Fruit)

Karavallaka consists of fresh fruit of Momordica charantia Linn. (Fam. Cucurbitacem); a monoecious climber found throughout the country often under cultivation, upto an altitude of 1500 m.

SYNONYMS

Sanskrit : Karavella, Kathilla, Varivalli, Karavalli.
Assamese : Kakiral, Kakral
Bengali : Karolla
English : Bitter gourd
Gujrati : Karela
Hindi : Karela
Kannada : Hagalakai
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Kaippa, Pavackkai
Marathi : Karla
Oriya : Kalara, Salara
Punjabi : Karela
Tamil : Paharkai
Telugu : Kaakara Kaaya
Urdu : Karela

DESCRIPTION

a) Macroscopic

Fruit 2.5 – 25 cm long, oblong, pendulous, fusiform, usually pointed or beaked, ribbed and bearing numerous triangular tubercles, 3 valved at the apex when mature, surface rough; light green to green in colour containing numerous seeds; taste, extremely bitter.

IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH

Foreign matter Nil Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 8.5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 0.6 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 28 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 (90 : 10) shows under U.V. (366 nm) four fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.23 (red), 0.61 (light sky blue), 0.96 (sky blue), 0.98 (red & sky blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour four spots appear at Rf. 0.17, 0.46, 0.67 and 0.98 (all yellow). On spraying with 5% Methanolic Phosphomolybdic acid reagent nine spots appear at Rf. 0.03, 0.16, 0.34, 0.43, 0.50, 0.60, 0.75, 0.81 and 0.98 (all blue).

CONSTITUENTS – Alkaloid (Momoridicine) and Glycosides.

PROPERTIES AND ACTION

Rasa : Katu, Tikta
Guna : Laghu
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Bhedi, Dipana, Hrdya, Kaphahara, Vatahara, Raktadosahara

IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Mahavisagarbha Taila.

THERAPEUTIC USES – Svasa, Jvara, Kamala, Kasa, Krmiroga, Kustha, Pandu, Prameha, Raktavikara, Aruci.

DOSE – 10 – 15 ml. juice of fresh drug.

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Karavallaka (Fresh Fruit) in Ayurveda Botanical Name Momordica charantia Linn