PUTIKARANJA (Stem Bark)
Putikaranja is the dried stem bark of Cmsalpinia crista Linn. (Fam. Cmsalpiniacem); a prickly, shruby climber found throughout India upto an altitude of 1200 m.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Cirabilvah, Putikah, Prakiryah
Assamese : —
Bengali : —
English : Indian elm
Gujrati : Charela, Kanajho
Hindi : Chilbil, Kanju, Banchillaa, Paapari
Kannada : Tapasigida
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Avil, Nettavil
Marathi : Baavalaa
Oriya : —
Punjabi : Chirbil
Tamil : Avali, Aapa
Telugu : Tapasi, Nemalinara
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Bark curved, 0.8 to 1.5 mm thick, dark reddish or nearly blackish in colour with a number of sharp prickles; inner surface light brown to dark brown and smooth; fracture, short; odourless; slightly astringent in taste.
b) Microscopic
Stem bark– T.S. of stem bark consists of layers of radially tiered cork, covered by degenerated dark layers of dead cells of cork, followed by 16 to 22 layers of phelloderm; phelloderm cells are thin walled, parenchymatous; some cells are filled with starch grains that are spherical, variable in size measuring from 1.5 to 5 nm, with a centric hilum; rosettes or prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate also present; stone cells are present in the form of a continuous ring; secondary phloem consists of companion cells, sieve cells; phloem parenchyma and thick walled phloem fibres in groups, traversed by medullary rays; simple, rarely compound starch grains and clusters crystals of calcium oxalate also found in secondary phloem region.
Powder– Light brown, easily flowable, taste-slightly astringent, odourless; shows the presence of simple to compound starch grains composed of 2 to 4 components; prismatic and rosettes of calcium oxalate crystals; cork in surface view, sclereids, phloem fibres, parenchymatous cells contains prismatic and clusters of calcium oxalate.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 6 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 7 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 10 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of alcoholic extract of stem bark powder on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Toluene: Formic acid: Glacial acetic acid (82: 14.5: 4.5) under UV light (365 nm) shows one fluorescent zone at Rf. 0.70 (green). On exposure to iodine vapour, six spots appear at Rf. 0.06, 0.25, 0.68, 0.72, 0.86 and 0.95 (all yellow).
CONSTITUENTS – Flavonoid, Saponins and Alkaloids.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kasaya
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Sothahara, Bhedaniya, Dipana, Krmighna, Slesmasamsamana, Anulomana, Lekhaniya, Visghna, Aparapatana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Visnu Taila, Indukanta Ghrta, Pramehamihira Taila
THERAPEUTIC USES – Arsa, Svitra, Gulma, Kandu, Kustha, Prameha, Tvakroga, Udara, Vrana, Pakva-Sopha, Slipada, Vataja Sula, Sula, Masurika, Amlapitta, Sarira-Durgandha
DOSE – 50-100 ml. in the form of decoction.
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