POTAGALA (Root)
Potagala consists of dried root of Typha elephantina Roxb. (Fam.Typhacem), a perennial grass-like shrub, about 1.5-3.0 m in height and found throughout plains of India, in stagnant water and the sides of streams and marshes.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Eraka
Assamese : —
Bengali : Hogalaa
English : Elephant grass
Gujrati : Ghaabaajariyu
Hindi : Pateraa, Erakaa
Kannada : Apu, Jambuhullu
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : —
Marathi : Raamabaan
Oriya : Hogala
Punjabi : Boj, Bori, Patiraa
Tamil : Anaikkoria, Anaippul
Telugu : Enugajammu, Jammuguddi
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
The roots are upto 15 cm long and about 4 mm thick, arising in groups from the base of the stem; pale brown to light brown in colour, irregularly flattened with longitudinal fissures giving rise to several secondary and tertiary rootlets from its lower end, transversely cut surface shows creamish to pale yellow central core; taste and odour indistinct.
b) Microscopic
T.S. shows single layered epidermis, followed by wide cortex which can be differentiated into three zones; the outer cortical cells, below the epidermis consist of 5 to 7 layers of parenchyma cells arranged compactly followed by second zone consisting of circular to oval and tangentially elongated parenchyma cells; the central cortical region exhibits large air cavities lined by 1 or 2 layers of thin walled, compressed, narrow and radially elongated parenchyma cells – the trabiculm; the centre of the root exhibits a typical monocotyledonous structure consisting of alternating bands of xylem and phloem surrounded externally by endodermis and pericycle; the cells of endodermis show thickening on radial and lower tangential walls; except phloem cells all the cells below the pericycle are thick walled and lignified; the vascular cylinder exhibits presence of numerous very long fibres with narrow to negligible lumen; the vessels show scalariform thickening whereas the tracheids have scalariform thickening or border pits; the parenchyma cells are radially elongated and simple pitted.
Powder – The powdered drug exhibits fragments of thin walled circular to oval and also radially elongated parenchyma cells; fragments of trabeculm; fragments of fibres showing negligible to narrow lumen; scalariform vessels; scalariform and border-pitted tracheids and simple pitted thick walled parenchyma cells.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 5 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 20 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of alcoholic extracts on precoated Silica Gel 60 plate (Merck), using Chloroform: Toluene: Ethyl acetate: Formic acid (6:4:0.5), shows in visible light two spots at Rf. 0.89(light green) and 0.64(pale green); under U.V. (254nm) four spots appear at Rf.0.28(pinkish orange), 0.64(light orange), 0.78 and 0.81(both whitish); on exposures to iodine vapours 8 spots appear at Rf. 0.10, 0.19, 0.28, 0.45, 0.57, 0.64, 0.78 and 0.93 (all yellow); on spraying with 5% ethanolic sulphuric acid and heating the plate at 110oC for 30 minutes 10 spots appear at Rf. 0.10(light violet), 0.19(violet), 0.28, 0.45(both faint brown), 0.57(violet), 0.64(dark brown), 0.78(blue), 0.81, 0.89 and 0.93(all faint brown).
CONSTITUENTS – β-sitosterol, cholestrol, quercetin and lanosterol.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Snigdha
Virya : Sita
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Caksusya, Grahi, Kaphahara, Mutrala, Pittahara, Vrsya, Vranaropana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Sukumara Ghrta
THERAPEUTIC USES – Asmari, Sopha, Daha, Mutrakrcchra, Raktapitta, Raktavikara, Vatarakta, Visarpa, Vrana, Bastisotha, Sukradaurbalya
DOSE – 10-20 g for decoction.
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