NAGAVALLI (Leaf)
Nagavalli consists of leaf of Piper betle Linn. (Fam. Piperacem); a dioecious, perennial creeper, climbing by many short adventitious rootlets, widely cultivated in hotter and damper parts of the country.
SYNONYMS
Sansk. : Tambuli
Assam. : Pan
Beng. : Pan
Eng. : Betel Leaf
Guj. : Pan
Hindi. : Pan
Kan. : Veelyadele Ele
Kash. : —
Mal. : Vettila
Mar. : Pan, Nagvel, Vidyachepan
Ori. : —
Punj. : Pan
Tam. : Vettilai
Tel. : Tamalapaku, Tamulapaku
Urdu. : Pan
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Leaf varies greatly in size, 7.5-20.0 cm, ovate cordate, entire, glabrous, apex acuminate to acute, lamina membranous, upper surface deep green and lower surface lighter in colour, primary or sub-primary nerves usually 7, sometimes 5-9; odour, aromatic; taste, stightly pungent.
b) Microscopic
Leaf –
Petiole – Single layered epidermis composed of cubical to slightly tangentially elongated cells covered with thick, striated cuticle; epidermal cells elongate to form uni to bicellular, occasionally multicellular hairs; epidermis followed by a discontinuous collenchymatous zone in the form of arcs, and a multilayered parenchymatous zone; vascular bundles arranged in the arcs, phloem surrounds xylem; vascular bundles usually of two sizes larger ones 7 in number and smaller ones 2 in number.
Midrib – Epidermis single layered, composed of colourless cubical cells, covered with wavy cuticle; epidermis followed by 2-3 layers of irregular colourless cells of hypodermis and a few layers of collenchyma, towards lower side collenchyma multilayered; vascular bundle shows phloem surrounding xylem; lower epidermis single layered and covered with wavy cuticle; some epidermal cells elongate to form uni to bicellular-occasionally multicellular hairs.
Lamina – Shows dorsi ventral structure; epidermis single layered, tangentially elongated, covered with thick striated cuticle on both sides; hypodermis 2-3 layered; having chloroplasts, occasionally with secretory cells; mesophyll differentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma; palisade single layered; spongy parenchyma 3-4 layered composed of irregularly round cells, a few secretory cells also present in this region; hairs a few uni to bicellular, occasionally multicellular, all being uniseriate present on both surfaces; stomata anisocytic palisade ratio not over 4; stomatal index 11-13; vein islet number 2-7.
Powder – Greyish-green; shows polygonal epidermal cells in surface view, simple pitted vessels and a few uni to tricellular hairs, anisocytic type of stomata, palisade and spongy parenchyma cells and simple pitted vessel.
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 3 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.4
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 10 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 the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Toluene: Ethylacetate (9 : 1) shows in visible light five spots at Rf. 0.11 (green), 0.18 (light green), 0.23 (yellow), 0.34 (grey) and 0.61 (greyish green). Under U.V. (366 nm) seven fluorescent zones are visible at Rf. 0.11, 0.16 (both pink), 0.23 (brown), 0.34 (pink), 0.43 (pink), 0.61 (pink) and 0.76 (grey). On exposure to Iodine vapour seven spots appear at Rf. 0.08, 0.11. 0.18. 0.34, 0.61, 0.76 and 0.88 (all yellow). On spraying with Vanillin- Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for ten minutes at 110°C seven spots appear at Rf. 0.08, 0.11, 0.18 (all the three greenish grey), 0.34 (grey), 0.43 (violet), 0.61 and 0.76 (both light green).
CONSTITUENTS – Essential Oil, Amino Acids, Vitamins and Enzymes.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Sara, Tiksna, Vasada
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Slesmahara, Balya, Rucya, Sramahara, Mukhadourgandhyahara, Mukhamalahara, Vata Hara, Raktapittakarni, Svaryam, Vrsya.
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Lokanatha Rasa , Puspadhanva Rasa, Brhat Sarvajvarahara Lauha, Laghu Sutasekhara Rasa, Brhat Visamajvarantaka Rasa
THERAPEUTIC USES – Kandu, Hrllasa, Agnimandya, Jvara, Hrdroga, Svarabheda
DOSE – 10-20 ml of Swarasa.
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