KODRAVAH (Grain)
Kodravah consists of dehusked and well-matured caryopsis of Paspalum scrobiculatum Linn. (Fam. Poacem), an annual grass 60 to 90 cm tall, cultivated in the plains of India for its grains; newly gathered grains with husks are poisonous; husks are removed prior to use or powdering.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Koradusah, Koradusakah
Assamese : —
Bengali : Kodo aadhaan
English : Kodo Millet
Gujrati : Kodro, Kodaraa
Hindi : Kodon, Kodava, Kododhaam
Kannada : Harak, Harike
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Varaku
Marathi : Kodra, Harik, Kodru
Oriya : Kodua
Punjabi : Kodon, Kodra
Tamil : Varagu
Telugu : Arikelu, Kiraruga
Urdu : Kodon
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Grain oval to rounded in shape, plano-convex and up to about 4 mm in length; pericarp brown, adherent to seeds, can be removed by rubbing; as seen under hand lens, on the convex side of caryopsis, there is one central line, and on the plane surface, three lines; inside pericarp is a shiny brown seed; seeds possess three prominent ridges on the convex side and in between these ridges, fine striations are present; plane side of the seed shows finely striated oval central depression, apical side pointed.
b) Microscopic
T.S. shows thick pericarp composed of 6 to 10 layers of cells; outermost layer elongated with outer and inner walls lignified; below this, cells have thickened walls, and a much-reduced lumen; testa not well defined and composed of crushed cells; cells of scutellum irregular in shape and usually contain oil droplets; outer cells of endosperm contain aleurone grains; endosperm cells thin walled, polygonal, large and fully packed with penta to hexagonal starch grains, usually 8 to 20 n.
Powder – Brown, fine, free flowing, characterized by the presence of characteristic thick walled, pericarp cells, penta to hexagonal starch grains, which are isolated, or in groups.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 6 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 4 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 3 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of ethanol extract on silica gel ‘G’ plate using Chloroform : Methanol (95:05) shows five spots at Rf 0.25, 0.38, 0.55, 0.67 and 0.89 on spraying with 10% alcoholic sulphuric acid and heating the plate for 15 minutes at 110oC.
CONSTITUENTS – Hydrocarcons hentriacontanol, hentriacontanone; sterols such as β- sitosterol, campestrol.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Grahi, Kaphahara, Pittahara, Lekhana, Visaghana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Nadivranahara Aturyadi Lepa, Nadivranahara turyadi Taila.
THERAPEUTIC USES – Nadivrana, Prameha, Raktapitta, Vrana, Atisthaulya, Annadravasula, Medovrddhi, Jalodara
DOSE – 50-100 g.
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