MURA (Root)
Mura consists of dried root of Selinum candollei DC. Syn. S. tenuifolium Wall. ex DC. (Fam. Apiacem ); a perennial herb, 0.6 – 2.4 m tall, found commonly in the Himalayas from Kashmir to Nepal at an altitude of 1800 – 42000 m.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Surabhi, Daitya, Gandhakuti, Gandhavati
Assamese : —
Bengali : Musamansi
English : —
Gujrati : —
Hindi : Mura
Kannada : Halukoratige, Haggoratige
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Muramanchi
Marathi : Mura
Oriya : Muramansi
Punjabi : —
Tamil : Mural
Telugu : Mura
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Roots occur in broken and cylindrical pieces, 6-12 cm long and 0.3 – 1.5 cm thick with stem portions attached and covered with leaf sheaths, roots rough due to longitudinal striations and root scars; colour, dull brown; odour, aromatic; taste, slightly bitter.
b) Microscopic
Root – Shows 10 – 25 layers of cork cells consisting of radially elongated, rectangular cells, outer cork cells filled with dark brown contents, inner cells thin-walled, tangentially elongated; cork cambium consisting of 1-2 layered tangentially elongated, thin-walled cells; secondary cortex composed of rounded, parenchymatous cells with intercellular spaces; secondary phloem shows wide zone, consisting of sieve elements and parenchyma, traversed by phloem rays; cambium 2-4 layered, consisting of tangentially elongated, thin-walled cells; secondary xylem consisting of vessels, fibres and parenchyma, traversed by xylem rays; vessels solitary or in groups of 2-6 or more having spiral thickenings; fibres aseptate, short with blunt ends; xylem rays 2-5 cells wide, composed of radially arranged, somewhat oval cells; starch grains simple, round to oval, measuring 7-55 n in dia., present in secondary cortex, secondary phloem, xylem parenchyma, xylem and phloem rays; secretory canals numerous, distributed throughout secondary cortex, secondary phloem, secondary xylem and medullary rays; secretory canals lined by varying number of epithelial cells and filled with yellowish contents.
Powder – Brown; shows groups of cork cells, parenchymatous cells, secretory canals, oil globules and simple starch grains, round to oval measuring 7-55 n in diameter.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 9 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 3.5 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 17 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
CONSTITUENTS – Dihydropyrano-coumarines (identified as Isopteryxin and Anomalin), Sucrose and Mannitol.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Katu, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Pittahara, Vatahara
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Arvindasava, Karpuradyarista
THERAPEUTIC USES – Svasa, Daha, Jvara, Bhrama, Murchha, Trsna
DOSE – 1-3 g. of the drug in powder form.
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