KUMUDA (Flower)

Kumuda consists of dried flowers of Nymphma alba Linn. (Fam. Nymphmacem); a perennial aquatic herb, very common in ponds, streams and fresh water lakes and upto 1800 m.

SYNONYMS

Sansk. : Kumudam, Sitolpalam, Sasikanta, Syamavrnta
Assam. : —
Beng. : Kumuda, Shandh Shaluka
Eng. : Indian Blue Water Lily
Guj. : Piyanu
Hindi. : Kui, Kanval, Kokka
Kan. : Bilenaydile, Biletavare
Kash. : —
Mal. : Ampal
Mar. : Kamod
Ori. : —
Punj. : —
Tam. : Nalla Kalav, Vellampal, Allittamarai
Tel. : Allikada, Tellakaluva
Urdu. : Kamal

DESCRIPTION

a) Macroscopic

Flower white, solitary, 10-13 cm across; sepals 4, outside greenish to brownish, inside whitish; petals about 10, white; stamens many, outer ones being transformed successively from petals; anthers linear small without appendages; pistil syncarpous, carpels 10-16, sunk in fleshy disk, ovary multicellular and crowned by a large stigma with 16 rays, each with a cylindrical appendages, ovules many, fruit a berry.

Powder – Light-brown; shows polygonal, thin-walled epidermal cells in surface view, stellate hairs and spherical or trigonal pollen grains, measuring 11-24 μ in dia.

IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH

Foreign matter Not more than 2 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.2
Total ash Not more than 18 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.3
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 9 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 20 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.7

T.L.C. –

T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Chloroform: Methanol (85 : 15) shows under U.V. (366 nm) three fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.66 (red), 0.77 (blue) and 0.88 (blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour three spots appear at Rf. 0.66, 0.92 and 0.96 (all brown).

CONSTITUENTS – Alkaloids and Glycosides.

PROPERTIES AND ACTION

Rasa : Madhura, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Picchila, Snigdha
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Balya, Hrdya, Pittahara, Stambhana, Vatahara, Garbha Sthapana, Sramahara

IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Triphaladi Taila, Bala Asvagandha Laksadi Taila

THERAPEUTIC USES – Raktadosa, Daha, Hrdroga, Raktapitta

DOSE – 3-6 g.

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