MESASRNGI (Leaf)
Mesasrngi consists of dried leaf of Gymnema sylvestre R.Br. (Fam. Asclepiadacem), a large woody, much branched, climber, with pubescent young parts, found throughout India in dry forests upto 600 m.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Madhunasini, Ajasrngi
Assamese : —
Bengali : Medhasingi
English : Periploca of the wood
Gujrati : Kaavalee, Medhasinge
Hindi : Gudmaar, Medhaa Singee
Kannada : Kadhasige
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Cakkarakkolli, Madhunaashini
Marathi : Kaavalee, Medhaashingi
Oriya : —
Punjabi : —
Tamil : Shirukurum Kaay, Shakkaraikkolli
Telugu : Podapatro
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Leaf simple, opposite, elliptical or ovate, petiolate, petiole 6 to 12 mm long and pubescent; lamina 3 to 6 cm long and 1 to 3 cm broad; acute or shortly acuminate; more or less pubescent on both sides, base rounded or cordate, venation reticulate; odour, unpleasant; taste, bitter and acrid.
b) Microscopic
Leaf –
Petiole – Nearly semi circular in outline having a deep furrow, shows a single layered epidermis covered with thick cuticle; multicellular uniseriate trichomes present; cortex composed of 3 or 4 layers of collenchyma and 3 or 4 layers of thin walled parenchymatous cells with intercellular spaces; vascular bundle bicollateral, conjoint and 3 in number, one central larger and crescent shaped and 2 lateral and smaller in size; a few rosette crystals of calcium oxalate present in cortical region.
Midrib – Epidermis and trichome as in petiole; epidermis followed by 2 or 3 layers of collenchyma adjacent to the lower surface; vascular bundle crescent shaped, bicollateral, conjoint and situated in centre; rest of the tissue between collenchyma and vascular bundles consisting of polygonal thin-walled parenchymatous cells with intercellular spaces, a few having rosette crystals of calcium oxalate.
Lamina – Shows dorsiventral structure; epidermis and trichome as in petiole and midrib; trichome cylindrical, consists of 3 to 6 cells nearly similar in width and variable in length, terminal cells blunt, most of them curved inwards from the leaf surface; palisade 1 or 2 layers; spongy parenchyma irregular, arranged with distinct intercellular spaces, rosette crystals of calcium oxalate present in this region; stomata paracytic, present only on lower surface; palisade ratio 7 or 8; stomatal index 20 to 25, vein islet number 7 to 10 per sq. mm.
Powder – Light green; under microscope shows epidermal cells having nearly straight wall, and paracytic stomata in surface view; rosette crystals of calcium oxalate; broken pieces of trichomes and spiral vessels.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 12 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 7 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 28 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica Gel ‘G’ plate using n-Hexane : Toluene : Ethylacetate (5:10:2) as mobile phase shows four fluorescent zones under U.V. (366 nm) at Rf. 0.24, 0.37 (both Red), 0.50 (blue) and 0.60 (Red). On spraying with Anisaldehyde- Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate at 110o for ten minutes seven spots appear at Rf. 0.29 (green), 0.37, 0.47 (both violet), 0.55 (pink), 0.60 (green), 0.66 (violet) and 0.93 (pink).
CONSTITUENTS – Triterpenoid saponins of gymnemic acid A, B, C and D with sugarresidues such as glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, ferulic and angelic acids attached as carboxylic acids. Several isopropylene derivatives of gymnemagenin, a hexahydroterpene, gymnemagenin, gymnemic acid. The leaves also contain betaine, choline, gymnamine alkaloids, inositol, d-quercitol. Hydrocarbons such as nonacosane, hentriacontane, tritriacontane, pentatriacontane, phytin, resin, tartaric acid, formic acid, butyric acid, amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine, valine, alanine, γ-butyric acid.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Caksusya, Dipana, Kaphahara, Vatahara, Visaghna, Sramasana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Mahavisagarbha Taila, Ayaskrti, Nyagrodhadi Curna, Mrtasanji Vani Sura
THERAPEUTIC USES – Sula, Sopha, Arsa, Svasa, Hrdroga, Kasa, Krmi, Kustha, Netraroga, Prameha, Vrana, Dantakrmi
DOSE – 3-6 g.
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