NICULA (Fruit)
Nicula consists of dried fruit of Barringtonia acutangula (Linn.) Gmrtn. (Fam. Lecythidacem); a moderate sized, evergreen, glabrous tree, fairly common in sub Himalayan tracts Bihar, Orissa, Bengal, Assam, Central and South India. It prefers moist situations but is not found in mangrove forests.
SYNONYMS
Sansk. : Hijjala, Vidula
Assam. : Hindole
Beng. : Hijjala
Eng. : —
Guj. : Samudraphala
Hindi. : Hijjala, Samudraphala
Kan. : Nerruganegalu, Holegonvamara
Kash. : —
Mal. : Manjal Kadamba, Manjal Kadam
Mar. : Samudraphala
Ori. : Kijolo
Punj. : Samuderphal
Tam. : Samudrapullarni, Samutrapalam
Tel. : Kanapu, Kadaps
Urdu. : Hijjal
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Fruit – A drupe, yellowish-brown, oblong, 2.5-3.3 by 1.00 – 1.3 cm, bluntly quadrangular, broadest in the middle, slightly narrow and truncate at each end, fibrous; no characteristic odour and taste.
Seed – Single, 2-2.5 by 0.7-1.0 cm, wrinkled longitudinally, dark brown in colour.
b) Microscopic
Fruit – Epicarp shows several layers of tangentially elongated, thin-walled parenchymatous cells; mesocarp composed of several layers of loosely arranged, thinwalled parenchymatous cells with intercellular spaces forming cavities; vascular bundles found scattered in this region; endocarp not distinct; a few rosette crystals of calcium oxalate in the form of irregular cluster, present in this region.
Seed – Shows two integuments, endosperm and embryo; outer integument consists of single layered epidermis, 2-3 layered sclereids and 7-10 layered closely arranged cells; vascular bundles also found scattered in this region; inner integument consists of 1-2 layered, crushed cells; endosperm and embryo consists of isodiametric cells having small intercellular spaces; abundant, irregular starch grains, single and compound found scattered in cells of endosperm simple, 4-27 n in dia., round to oval.
Powder – Whitish-purple; shows a few parenchymatous, brown coloured cells rosettes of calcium oxalate crystals in cluster numerous simple and compound starch grains, measuring 4-27 n in dia. a few xylem vessels with spiral thickening.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 1 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.2
Total ash Not more than 7 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 5 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.6
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 9 Per cent, Appendix 2.2.7
T.L.C. –
T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using n-Butanol : Acetic acid: Water (4: 1 :5) shows under U.V. (366 nm) three fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.56 (blue), 0.81 (black) and 0.94 (blue). On exposure to Iodine vapour eight spots appear at Rf. 0.41, 0.48, 0.56, 0.61, 0.81, 0.87, 0.92 and 0.96 (all yellow). On spraying with 5% Methanolic-Sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate at 105°C for ten minutes eight spots appear at Rf. 0.14 (brown), 0.41, 0.48, 0.56, 0.61 (all violet), 0.87 (blue), 0.92 (violet) and 0.96 (brown).
CONSTITUENTS – Saponins and Sapogenins.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Kaphahara, Sangrahi, Vamaka, Visaghna, Vranasodhana, Recaka, Raksoghna, Vatahara.
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Mahapancagavya Ghrta, Laksmi Vilasa Rasa (Nardiya), Nyagrodhadi Gana Kvatha
THERAPEUTIC USES – Raktapitta, Amatisara, Caksusrava, Galganda, Bhutabadha Grahabadha, Prameha
DOSE – 1-3 g.
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