SIGRU (Root Bark)
Sigru consists of dried root bark of Moringa oleifera Lam. Syn. Moringa pterygosperma Gmrtn. (Fam. Moringacem), a small or medium sized tree, found wild in sub-Himalayan tract, and also commonly cultivated throughout the country for its leaves and fruits used as vegetable.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Sobhanjana, Bahala, Tiksnagandha, Aksiva, Mocaka
Assamese : Saijna, Sohjna
Bengali : Sajina, Sajna
English : Horse Radish Tree, Drum-stick Tree
Gujrati : Saragavo
Hindi : Sahajan
Kannada : Neegge, Nugge Kand Chakke
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Muringa
Marathi : Sevaga, Segat Sala
Oriya : Sajina
Punjabi : Sohanjana
Tamil : Murungai
Telugu : Munaga, Mulaga
Urdu : Sohanjana, Sahajan
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Drug occuts in pieces of variable sizes, external surface, light greyish-brown, rough, reticulated, marked with transverse row of lenticels; outer bark, thin, peeling off in small bits, internal surface, white.
b) Microscopic
Mature bark shows a very wide zone of cork, consisting of 25 or more rows of rectangular cells, arranged radially, a few inner layers, larger and cubicular in shape; secondary cortex composed of rectangular, thin-walled cells, a few containing starch grains and rosette crystals of calcium oxalate and a few others containing oil globules and coloured resinous matter; starch grains mostly simple and rarely compound, composed of 2 or 3 components, round to oval in shape, measuring 6 to 28 n in dia., groups of stone cells, round to rectangular, of various sizes, present in secondary cortex; mucilagenous cavities found scattered towards inner secondary cortical region; secondary phloem appreciably wide, consisting mainly of phloem fibres and phloem parenchyma; phloem fibres in large patches, alternating with phloem parenchyma; numerous starch grains and cell contents as described above also present in phloem cells; phloem rays numerous, long, 2 to 4 seriate, consisting of radially elongated, thin-walled cells containing numerous starch grains, similar to those present in secondary cortex.
Powder – Pinkish-brown; shows stone cells, phloem fibres, starch grains, measuring 6 to 28 n in dia., rosette crystals of calcium oxalate and oil globules.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 18 per cent, Appendix 2.2.3.
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 10 per cent, Appendix 2.2.4.
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 3 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 11 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of the alcoholic extract on Silica gel ‘G’ using Toluene: Ethylacetate (9:1) shows under U.V. (366 nm) two fluorescent zones at Rf. 0.06 and 0.52 (both green). On exposure to Iodine vapour seven spots appear at Rf. 0.06, 0.33, 0.43, 0.54, 0.70, 0.78 and 0.87 (all yellow). On spraying with Vanillin-Sulphuric mid reagent and heating the plate at 105oC for ten minutes six spots appear at Rf. 0.33, 0.43, 0.54, 0.70, 0.78 and 0.87 (all violet).
CONSTITUENTS – Alkaloids and Essential Oil
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura, Katu, Tikta
Guna : Laghu, Ruksa, Sara, Tiksna
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Caksusya, Dipana, Hrdya, Kaphahara, Medohara, Pacana, Pittakara, Samgrahi, Vatahara, Visaghna, Sukrala, Sophaghna, Rocana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Prabhanjana Vimardana Taila, Sarasvata Ghrta, Vastyamayanaka Ghrta, Kasara Taila, Manikya Rasa
THERAPEUTIC USES – Vrana Vikara, Grathi, Gulma, Karnasula, Medoroga, Vidradhi, Visarpa, Sopha, Krmiroga, Pliha Roga, Galaganda, Mukhajadya, Asmari, Mutra Sarkara, Kustha, Ksata, Antarvidradhi
DOSE – 25-50 gm of the drug in powder form.
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