LATAKARANJA (Seed)
Latakaranja consists of seed of Cmsalpinia bonduc (Linn.) Roxb. (Fam. Cmsalpiniacem), an extensive, shrubby, wild, perennial climber distributed throughout tropical parts of India.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Kuberaksa, Kantaki Karanja
Assamese : —
Bengali : Kaantaa Karanjaa, Naataa, Naataa Karanjaa
English : Bonduc Nut, Fever Nut
Gujrati : Kaanchakaa, Kaanka
Hindi : Karanja, Karanjuaa, Kaantaa Karanj
Kannada : Gajjike Kaayi, Gajkai
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Kalamchikuru, Kaalanchi, Kazhinch – Kai
Marathi : Saagar gotaa, Gajarghotaa, Gaajagaa
Oriya : Kotokolejaa
Punjabi : —
Tamil : Kajha shikke, Kalichchikkaai
Telugu : Gachchakaay
Urdu : Akitmakit
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Seeds globose or rounded, smooth, shiny, 1.2 to 2.5 cm in diameter; slightly flattened on one side due to close pressing of adjacent seeds; hilum and micropyle close together; hilum surrounded by a dark area around 4 mm in diameter, usually with a whitish or yellowish remnant of funiculus; micropyle near the periphery of the dark area; seed coat greenish-grey to bluish-grey, lineate, shiny; 100 seeds weigh from 225 to 250 g.
b) Microscopic
Testa shows an outer single row of radially elongated, very narrow, transluscent, compactly arranged cells forming a palisade layer (Malpighian layer) passing through which is the ‘linea lucida’. These cells appear hexagonal in surface view and possess thick walls (rich in pectin as evident from Chloro-zinc Iodine Test); a sub-epidermal zone of 2 or 3 layers of thick walled bearer cells present, followed by multiple rows of osteosclereids, which progressively increase in size, elongate laterally and have more intercellular spaces towards the inner side; the outer few layers of these osteosclereids contain a brown substance; laterally elongated vascular tissues present in the lower region of this zone. The cells inner to vascular elements gradually compacted and rounded towards the inner margin; cotyledons show an outer single layer of epidermis made of small, isodiametric cells, and inner parenchymatous ground tissue cells rich in fixed oil, and having empty cavities uniformly distributed in them.
Powder – Colour light yellow through mustard to brown, coarse and free-flowing; bitter in taste and possessing tamarind -like odour. Parts of vessels showing scalariform thickenings and groups of narrow, palisade cells with light line are present; groups of cells of height from 150 to 250 n the sub-epidermal layers of seed coat having 10 to 12 n, squarish bearer cells and upto 150 n long osteosclereids; cotyledon cells (upto 35 n) showing fixed oil when mounted in Sudan III.
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 1 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 26 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 4.0 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on precoated silica gel ‘G’ plate (0.2 mm thick) using toluene: ethylacetate : acetic acid (5:4.5:0.5), shows under U.V. (366 nm) spots at Rf. 0.13 (Light Blue), 0.28 (Dark Blue), 0.63 (Pink), 0.92 (Pink); on spraying with anisaldehyde- sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for ten minutes at 110o C spots appear at Rf 0.30(Brown), 0.64 (Bluish Purple), 0.72 (Purple), 0.80 (Purple), 0.89 (Grey). T.L.C. of the hexane extract on precoated silica gel ‘G’ plate 0.2 mm thick using chloroform: ethylacetate (98:2), on spraying with anisaldehyde- sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for ten minutes at 110o C spots appear at Rf 0.03 (Yellow), 0.11 (Greenish Blue), 0.21 (Greenish Yellow), 0.33 (Greenish Blue), 0.43 (Pale yellow), 0.55 (Greenish Blue).
CONSTITUENTS – Seeds contain bitter substance phytosterenin, bonducin, saponin, phytosterol, fixed oil, starch and sucrose. Seeds also contain α, β, γ, δ and ζ cmsalpins.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Dipana, Artavajanana, Kaphahara, Pittahara, Vatahara, Vedanasthapaka, Vranaropana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Aragvadhadi Kvatha Curna, Kuberaksdi Vati
THERAPEUTIC USES – Sula, Sotha, Arsa, Svasa, Chardi, Amavata, Gulma, Kasa, Kustha, Meha, Sandhivata, Tvakroga, Vatavikara, Visamajvara, Vrana, Sutikajvara, Udarasula, Raktatisara, Agnimandya, Pravahika, Yakrtpliharoga, Krmi.
DOSE – 1-3 g.
Latest Govt Job & Exam Updates: