MAHAMEDA (Rhizome and Root)
Mahameda consists of dried rhizome and root of Polygonatum cirrhifolium Royle (Fam. Liliacem), a herb found in the temperate Himalayas.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Mahameda, Vasucchidra, Tridanti, Devamani
Assamese : —
Bengali : —
English : Mahameda
Gujrati : —
Hindi : Mahameda, Devarigaala
Kannada : Mahamedha
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Mahameda
Marathi : —
Oriya : —
Punjabi : —
Tamil : Mahameda
Telugu : Mahameda
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Rhizome dirty brown in colour, 2 to 8 cm long and about 2.5 to 3 cm broad, having longitudinal markings on the surface and rough with irregular wrinkles; fracture, short and smooth; odour, distinct; taste, sweet with a slight bitter after-taste.
b) Microscopic
Rhizome : T.S. shows a single layered cuticularized epidermis having actinocytic stomata followed by ground parenchymatous cortex of polygonal to isodiametric cells in which vascular bundles are scattered; in cortical cells starch grains, numerous idioblasts with raphides, and druses of calcium oxalate present; numerous round cavities present in the cortical region; endodermis between cortex and inner core absent; vascular bundles unevenly scattered, amphivasal; xylem elements represented by tracheids and xylem parenchyma; phloem composed of sieve tubes, companion cells and phloem parenchyma.
Root : T.S. shows a single layered epiblema, cells polygonal, bearing simple unicellular root hairs; a single layered hypodermis, cells larger, hexagonal, slightly thick walled; a broad cortex, cells thin walled and of varying shapes and sizes with very small intercellular spaces, and containing circular starch grains measuring between 10 to 40 n in diameter; idioblasts with raphides present; endodermis single layered, characterized by the presence of casparian strips on their radial walls; pericycle single layered; stele exarch, polyarch, xylem consist of tracheids, vessels with simple perforation plate and reticulate thickenings, and xylem parenchyma; phloem consist of sieve tubes, companion cells and phloem parenchyma; small pith present in centre with parenchymatous cells.
Powder : Dark brown; under microscope shows epidermal cells with actinocytic stomata and cortical cells in surface view; starch grains ovoid with concentric striation, either singly or in groups; raphides and druses present; tracheids elongated with pointed ends, wall slightly wavy towards tips, thickenings reticulate; vessels with simple, cross wall perforation, thickenings reticulate.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 3 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 3.5 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 4.5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 70 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of methanolic extract of the roots/rhizome on a precoated silica gel G plate, using methanol : chloroform (3 : 7). On spraying with 10% sulphuric acid in ethyl alcohol and heating the plate for about 5 minute at 110oC, two spots appear at Rf. 0.42 and 0.30 showing blackish grey fluorescent were found comparable to the spots of glucose and sucrose respectively.
CONSTITUENTS – Glucose, Sucrose
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura
Guna : Guru, Snigdha
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Sukravardhaka, Brmhana, Jivaniya, Pittahara, Stanyajanna, Vatahara, Vrsya, Kaphavardhaka, Rucya
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Asoka Ghrta, Sivagutika, Amrtaprasa Ghrta, Dasam ularista, Dhanvantara Taila, Brhatmasa Taila, Mahanarayana Taila, Vasacandanadi Taila
THERAPEUTIC USES – Balaroga, Daha, Jvara, Kamala, Ksaya, Raktapitta, Raktavikara, Ksata ksina
DOSE – 3-6 g.
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