KATTRNA (Whole Plant)
Kattrna consists of the whole plant of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf syn: Andropogon citratus DC. (Fam. Poacem), a tall tufted perennial grass cultivated in various parts of India.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Bhutrnah, Jambiratrnah, Guhybija, Bhutika
Assamese : —
Bengali : Gandhatrun, Gandhabenaa
English : Lemon grass
Gujrati : Lilichaa
Hindi : Gandhatrun, Harichaaya
Kannada : Majjigahullu
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Chennanampullu, Incippullu, Vasanappullu
Marathi : Hirvaa Chahaa, Olaa Chahaa, Paatichahaa
Oriya : —
Punjabi : Gandhatrun, Sharbaan
Tamil : Vasanaipillu
Telugu : Nimmagaddi, Vasana gaddi
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Root – Fibrous, adventitious, 5 to 10 mm in length, 0.2 to 0.7 mm in thickness.
Rhizome – Irregular, dark brown in colour, narrow internodes present 4 to 9 cm in length, 1.5 to 2 cm in diameter.
Stem – Pale yellow, hollow, 4 to 10 cm in length, 1 to 3 cm in diameter.
Leaf – Leaves glaucous, linear, parallel veined, about 90 cm in length, 2 to 3 cm in width, conspicuous midrib present, apex pointed, margin entire, with sheathing base and a ligule at its base; lemon odour, taste bitter.
b) Microscopic
Root – Epiblema or piliferous layer uniseriate with compact tabular cells; unicellular root hairs present; beneath epidermis 1 to 3 layered exodermis of cells with thick walls present; cortex cells with intercellular spaces; barrel shaped cells of endodermis and several layered sclerified pericycle; vascular tissue with alternating strands of xylem and phloem, xylem exarch; pith parenchymatous with intercellular spaces.
Rhizome – T.S. shows outer epidermal layer of rectangular parenchymatous cells followed by 5 to 7 layered sclerenchymatous hypodermis; lysigenous cavities present in the hypodermis; below the hypodermis, a broad zone of ground tissue consisting of thin walled parenchymatous cells with small intercellular spaces; vascular bundles scattered in the ground tissue; concentric, amphivasal, enclosed by sclerenchymatous sheath; rosette shaped calcium oxalate crystals present in the cortex.
Stem – T.S. shows thick cuticle followed by uniseriate epidermis and a cortex several layers deep; scattered concentric, amphivasal vascular bundles present in the ground tissue, with the larger ones towards centre, and smaller ones towards periphery; cortical bundles present.
Leaf –
Midrib – T.S. shows an upper and lower epidermis consisting of a single layer of cells with stomata and trichomes; regularly distributed sclerenchymatous patches present adjacent to both epidermis; ground tissue consist of non-uniform angular cells with intercellular spaces; vascular bundles surrounded by one or two layered bundle sheath and parenchymatous cells storing starch; phloem towards the lower epidermis and xylem towards the upper epidermis; phloem has sieve-tubes and companion cells; xylem consists of pitted metaxylem vessels which are oval in shape; tracheids present, xylem parenchyma scanty.
Lamina – T.S. shows a cuticle, an upper and lower epidermis composed of single layer of cells with bulliform cells, stomata and bristly trichomes; mesophyll with only spongy parenchyma; the narrow guard cells of the stomata are associated with subsidiary cells. Small silica cells filled with silica, solidified into bodies of various shapes, and cells with suberised walls called cork cells occur in pairs which alternate with elongated epidermal cells; lower epidermis with oval shaped stomata arranged in a parallel manner.
Powder – Powder green in colour with strong lemon odour and bitter taste, shows oil cells, fibres, rosette shaped calcium oxalate crystals, pitted and reticulate vessels, pitted and scalariform vessels, surface view of epidermis with stomata, trichome, cork cells, bristle and silica cells.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 11 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 6 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 12 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of essential oil extracted by Clevenger apparatus on silica gel ‘G’ plate (0.2 mm thick) using toluene : ethyl acetate (93:7) shows under UV (254 nm) spots at Rf. 0.07 (light green) and 0.47 (dark green). After spraying with anisaldehyde-sulphuric acid reagent spots appear at Rf. 0.05 (blue), 0.08 (bluish yellow), 0.19 (dark blue), 0.47 (blue), 0.52 (pink), 0.60 (light pink), 0.70 (purple) and 0.74 (purple).
CONSTITUENTS – Essential oil containing citral as major component besides geraniol and other terpenes.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Katu, Tikta
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa, Tiksna
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Caksusya, Dipana, Kaphahara, Stanyajanana, Vatahara, Visaghna, Sitaprasamana, Recana, Mukhasodhana, Avrsya, Rucikaraka, Vamihara
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Masabaladi Kvatha Curna
THERAPEUTIC USES – Svasa, Bhutabadha, Daha, Dadru, Kasa, Krmi, Kustha, Udara, Arocaka, Santapa, Vami, Grahabadha, Udarda.
DOSE – 3-6 g.
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