KATAKA (Seed)
Kataka consists of dried seed of Strychnos potatorum Linn. f.(Fam. Loganiacem), a tall tree occurring plentifully in deciduous forests in most of the parts of the country upto 400m.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Nirmali, Payah Prasadisa
Assamese : —
Bengali : Nirmali
English : Clearing nut
Gujrati : Nirmali
Hindi : Chillikavi
Kannada : Katakam, Tetramabaral
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Katakam
Marathi : Nirmal
Oriya : —
Punjabi : Nirmali
Tamil : Kottai
Telugu : Chilla
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Seed upto 8 mm dia., circular, bluntly lenticular, shiny with short, appressed silky hairs; cream-white in colour with a slightly prominent ridge round the border, no bitterness, (Seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica bitter).
b) Microscopic
Shows testa, consistmg of 2 or 3 layers, thick-walled, elongated, lignified sclerenchymatous cells covered with numerous, cylindrical, unicellular, lignified, trichomes having basal portion ramified; outer endosperm composed of 3 to 8 layers of thick-walled, elongated palisade-like cells arranged in rows, an inner endosperm composed of thin-walled, oval to polygonal, parenchymatous cells having numerous small aleurone grains and oil globules. (In seed of Strychnos nux-vomica base of trichome is pitted, bulbous, ramified with a projection normally elongated and thick-walled).
Powder – Creamish-yellow and oily; shows fragments of testa, trichomes, endosperm cells and oil globules.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 0.5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 1 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G” plate using Toluene: Ethylacetate : Diethylamine (70:20: 1 0). On spraying with Dragendorff reagent with tartaric acid two spots appear at Rf. 0.38 (orange and corresponding to that of Brucine) and at Rf. 0.55 (faint orange and corresponding to that of Strychnine).
CONSTITUENTS – Alkaloids.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Sita, Guru
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Caksusya, Vatahara, Slesmahara, Vicaghna, Pittala, Asu Drstiprasadakrt (Kasyapa), Jala Prasadakara
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Dasamularista, Niruryadi Gutika
THERAPEUTIC USES – Aruci, Krmi, Prameha, Mutrakrcchra, Mutrasmari, Trsna, Sula. Netraroga, Sarkara Meha, Rakta Abhisyanda, Vrscika Visa, Apasmara
DOSE – 3-6 gm.
Latest Govt Job & Exam Updates: