MANDUKAPARNI (Whole Plant)
Mandukaparni consists of dried whole plant of Centella asiatica (Linn.) Urban. Syn. Hydrocotyle asiatica Linn. (Fam. Apiacem), a prostrate, faintly aromatic, stoloniferous perennial herb, commonly found as a weed in crop fields and other waste places throughout India upto an altitude of 600 m.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Manduki, Darduracchada
Assamese : Manimuni
Bengali : Jholkhuri, Thalkuri, Thankuni
English : Indian Pennywort
Gujrati : Khodabrahmi, Khadbhrammi
Hindi : Brahma Manduki, Brahmi
Kannada : Ondelaga, Brahmi soppu
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Kodangal
Marathi : Karivana
Oriya : —
Punjabi : Brahmi
Tamil : Vallarai
Telugu : Saraswati Aku, Vauari
Urdu : Brahmi
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Small creeping herb with slender stem, rooting at nodes giving rise to thin, brownish-grey, roots of about 2.5 to 6.0 cm in length; leaves 1 to 3 from each node, orbicular-reniform, crenate, base cordate, petioles channelled with adnate stipules; flowers fascicled umbels each carrying 3 or 4 flowers, short stalked; fruits cremocarp, ovoid, with laterally compressed seeds.
b) Microscopic
Root – Shows wavy outline, consisting of 3 to 5 layered, rectangular, cork cells having exfoliated cells, followed by 3 or 4 layers of parenchyma cells containing oval to round, simple, starch grains measuring 8 to 16 n in dia., having centric hilum and microsphenoidal crystals of calcium oxalate; secondary cortex composed of thin-walled, oval to polygonal, parenchymatous cells; secretory cells present, scattered towards periphery region; secondary phloem and secondary xylem consisting of usual elements; vessels lignified with reticulate and spiral thickening; pith nearly obliterated.
Stem – More or less concave-convex outline, shows single layered epidermis composed of round to cubical cells covered by striated cuticle; below this 2 or 3 layers of collenchymatous cells, followed by 6 to 8 layers of thin-walled, isodiametric, parenchymatous cells with intercellular spaces present; vascular bundles collateral, open, arranged in a ring, capped by patches of sclerenchyma and traversed by wide medullary rays; vessels with spiral thickening present, resin duct present in parenchymatous cells of cortex and generally one in between vascular bundles; pith of isodiametric, parenchyma with intercellular spaces.
Leaf-
Petiole – shows a characteristic outline due to two projections adjacent to ventral groove; epidermis single layered, cells cubical covered by a thick cuticle; inner walls of epidermal cells adjoining the cortex much thickened; hairs absent; collenchyma 2 or 3 layered, absent on the projections, a broad zone of more or less rounded parenchyma cells present with intercellular spaces, and a few containing rosette crystals of calcium oxalate; resin canal present on dorsal side of each vascular bundle except in the vascular bundles occurring projecting arms; vascular bundles seven in number, two of which less developed and present in projections.
Midrib – show a single layered epidermis, 2 or 3 layered collenchyma on both surfaces, 4 or 5 layered parenchyma, mostly devoid of chloroplasts; central zone occupied by vascular bundles differentiated into xylem towards ventral side and phloem towards dorsal side; phloem consisting of sieve tubes, companion cells and phloem parenchyma; xylem consisting of radial rows of vessels with xylem parenchyma in between.
Lamina -shows an epidermis of tangentially elongated cells on both surfaces, larger on the upper surface, covered by striated cuticle; mesophyll differentiated into 2 or 3 layers of palisade cells, 5 to 7 layers of loosely arranged, somewhat isodiametric spongy parenchyma; rosette crystals of calcium oxalate present in a few cells; stomata more on the lower surface, anisocytic in general, but anomocytic type also occurs on both surfaces, palisade ratio 3 to 5, stomatal index on upper surface, 9 to 12, and lower surface 11 to 17.
Fruit – Shows several ridges in outline; epicarp consists of single layered epidermis covered externally with thick cuticle; mesocarp consists of polygonal, thin walled parenchymatous cells having patches of sclerenchymatous cells on both lateral side; each ridge having a vittm and patch of sclerenchyma; endocarp consists of columnar shaped sclereids arranged in wavy layers; endosperm and embryo composed of oval to polygonal, thin-walled parenchymatous cells.
Powder – Green to greenish-brown, shows fragments of epidermal cells polygonal in surface view with stomata, palisade cells, vessels with spiral, reticulate and annular thickening; microsphenoidal and rosette crystals of calcium oxalate; simple, oval to round starch grains measuring 8 to 16 n in dia.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 17 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 5 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 9 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 alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Chloroform : Methanol (80 :20) shows under U.V. (366 nm) two fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.72 and 0.85 (both blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour six spots appear at Rf. 0.08, 0.16, 0.32, 0.72, 0.85 and 0.96 (all yellow). On spraying with Vanillin-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate at 105oC for ten minutes seven spots appear at Rf. 0.08 (grey), 0.16 (blue), 0.23 (grey), 0.32 (violet), 0.72, 0.85 (both violet) and 0.96 (violet).
CONSTITUENTS – Glycosides – Saponin Glycosides
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Katu, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Sara
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Balya, Dipana, Hrdya, Kaphapittahara, Medhya, Varnya, Visaghna, Svarya, Rasayana, Ayusya, Smrtiprada
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Brahma Rasayana
THERAPEUTIC USES – Sotha, Aruci, Jvara, Kasa, Kandu, Kustha, Pra Raktapitta, Meha, Svasa, Pandu, Raktadosa
DOSE – 3-6 gm.
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