KATPHALA (Fruit)
Katphala consists of dried fruit of Myrica esculenta Buch.- Ham. ex D. Don Syn. M. nagi Hook.f. (Fam. Myricacem); a dioecious, evergreen, small or moderate sized tree, 3-15 m high, found in sub-tropical Himalayas from Ravi eastwards to Assam, and in Khasi, Jaintia, Naga and Lushai hills a elevation of 900-2100 m,
SYNONYMS
Sansk. : Mahavalkala
Assam. : Ajooree, Vdulbark
Beng. : Kayachhal, Katphal, Kayphal
Eng. : Box Myrtle, Bay Berry
Guj. : Kayphal
Hindi. : Kayphajl
Kan. : Kadujai Kai, Katphala, Kirisivari, Kirishivane
Kash. : —
Mal. : Marut
Mar. : Kaayphal
Ori. : —
Punj. : Kanphal, Kayphal
Tam. : Marudam, Marudampatai
Tel. : Kaidaryamu
Urdu. : Kaiphal
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Fruit – A drupe, ellipsoid or ovoid, 0.7-1.0 cm long, 0.5-0.7 cm wide, dark brown, surface tubercled, very hard; taste, sourish sweet.
Seed – Ovoid, 0.6 cm long, 0.3 cm wide, surface very smooth, light brown; taste, oily.
b) Microscopic
Fruit – Shows epicarp cells isodiametric in surface view, mass of reddish-brown, thinwalled, parenchymatous cells, a few elongated tubercled cells with smooth walls; endocarp hard and stony consisting of sclerenchymatous cells.
Seed – Seed coat shows single layered, thick, brown coloured cells; cotyledons composed of single layered, thin-walled epidermal cells containing oil gloubles and aleurone grains; mesophyll cells thin-walled, isodiametric, fully packed with oil gloubles and aleurone grams.
Powder – Yellowish-brown; shows rectangular to hexagonal, thin-walled seed coat and polygonal epidermal cells in surface view; tubercled parenchymatous cells, oil globules and aleurone grains.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 1 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.2
Total ash Not more than 5 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.3
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 2.5 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.4
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 15 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.6
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 17 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.7
T.L.C. –
T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘GF 254’ plate using n-Butanol:
Acetic acid: Water (4:1:5) shows in visible light five spots at Rf. 0.25, 0.43, 0.57, 0.75 (all grey) and 0.88 (yellowish green). Under U.V. (366 nm) seven fluorescent zones are visible at Rf. 0.09, 0.18 and 0.30 (all light blue), 0.43 (green), 0.49 (blue), 0.65 (blue) and 0.71 (pink). On exposure to Iodine vapour eleven spots appear at Rf. 0.07, 0.09, 0.12, 0.25, 0.30, 0.35, 0.43, 0.52, 0.57, 0.75 and 0.88 (all yellow). On spraying with 5% Methanolic-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for ten minutes at 110°C six spots appear at Rf. 0.09 (black), 0.30 (black), 0.57 (light brown), 0.71 (light pink), 0.82 (light pink) and 0.88 (yellowish green).
CONSTITUENTS – Waxy Material.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Tiksna
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Kaphavatahara, Rucya, Dahahara, Mukharogasamaka, Dhatuvikarajit
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Brhatphala Ghrta, Pusyanuga Curna, Arimedadi Taila, Bala Taila, Mahavisagarbha Taila, Khadiradi Gutika (Mukha Roga), Khadiradi Gutika (Kasa), Maha Vatagajan kusa Rasa.
THERAPEUTIC USES – Gulma, Meha, Jvara, Arsa, Grahani, Pandu Roga, Hrallasa, Mukha Roga, Kasa, Svasa
DOSE – 3-5 g.
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