NIRGUNDI (Root)
Nirgundi consists of dried root of Vitex negundo Linn. (Fam. Verbenacem), a large aromatic shrub or sometimes a small tree, upto 4.5 m in height, common throughout the country ascending to an altitude of 1500 m in the lower Himalayas.It is common in waste places around village, river bank, moist localities and deciduous forests.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : —
Assamese : Aslak
Bengali : Nirgundi, Nishinda
English : Five leaved chaste, Indian Privet
Gujrati : Nagod
Hindi : Nirgundi
Kannada : Lakkigida, Nekkigida, Lakkimara
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Indranee
Marathi : Lingad, Nigad
Oriya : —
Punjabi : Sambhalu
Tamil : Karuno chchil
Telugu : Nallavavilli
Urdu : Sambhalu
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Roots cylindrical, hard, tough with irregular fractures; external surface rough due to longitudinal, narrow, cracks and small rootlets; cut surface shows cork region greyishbrown, middle region greyish-white, and xylem region cream coloured; bark thin, easily separates from wood; wood hard, forming major part of root.
b) Microscopic
Root shows 10 to 18 or more tangential rows of rectangular to cubicular, moderately thick-walled cork cells with a few rows of radially arranged cork cells also being present, inner 3 to 5 rows of cork cells thin-walled; cork cambium consists of single row of squarish to transversely elongated cells; secondarycortex composed of 4 to 12 rows of rectangular to elongated cells, some contain starch grains; numerous, small groups of stone cells found scattered in this zone; stone cells vary in shape and size; secondary phloem consists of sieve tubes with companion cells, fibres and phloem parenchyma traversed by phloem rays; distal portion of phloem conical, due to dilating phloem rays; each band of phloem composed of thin-walled, phloem tissues alternating with transverse strips of thick-walled phloem fibres; a few tangential strips of obliterated phloem tissues also present in outer-phloem region; each fibre group composed of 6 to 60 or more thick-walled, long and short fibres, short fibres comparatively thick-walled, a few fibres show forked tips; inner zone of phloem
composed of intact, thin-walled, phloem tissues mainly sieve tubes, companion cells and phloem parenchyma; cambium composed of one, or sometimes two, rows of cells; central major part of root consists of xylem; vessels varying in size, scattered throughout xylem region, either in small groups of 2 to 4 or singly; a few xylem vessels show tail on one or both the ends; xylem fibres long, having thick-walls and pointed tips; xylem parenchyma contains starch grains similar to those found in cortical region; medullary rays are uni-to triseriate, almost straight, extend from pith to cork, medullary rays in xylem region radial while in phloem region they dilate; cells contain starch grain, simple and compound, oval to circular, having 4 components and measuring 8 to 12 n in dia.
Powder – Pale yellow; shows parenchymatous cells containing simple oval to round and compound starch grains with 4 components, measuring 8 to 12 n in dia; stone cells elongated, rectangular and squarish in shape with wide and narrow lumen, radiating canals and conspicuous striations; xylem vessels with pitted thickening, xylem and phloem fibres with thick walls.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 1 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 3 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 0.2 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 alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ using Chloroform: Methanol (8:2) shows in visible light two spots at Rf. 0.14 and 0.95 (both yellow). Under U.V. (366 nm) six fluorescent zones are visible at Rf. 0.14 (dirty yellow), 0.14 (blue), 0.66 (blue), 0.82 (light blue), 0.90 (blue) and 0.95 (bluish green). On exposure to Iodine vapour five spots appear at Rf. 0.14, 0.04, 0.66, 0.82 and 0.95 (all yellow). On spraying with Dragendorff reagent followed by 5% Methanolic-Sulphuric acid reagent two spots appear at Rf. 0.03 and 0.95 (both orange).
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa
Virya : Usna (Nila), Sita
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Vatahara, Pittavinasana, Kesya, Netrya, Slesmaha, Pidahara
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Mahavisagarbha Taila, Manasa Mitra Vaaka
THERAPEUTIC USES – Adhmana, Kasa, Krmi Roga, Kustha, Pradara, Sula Roga, Kandu, Slesmaja Jvara
DOSE – 10-20 ml.
Latest Govt Job & Exam Updates: