VATSANABHA (Root)
Vatsanabha consists of dried roots of Aconitum chasmanthum Stapf. ex Holmes (Fam. Ranunculacem); plant is an erect, perennial herb, occurs in subalpine and alpine zones of the western Himalayas, in high plateaus between 2000-4000 m, roots are generally collected late in September.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Amra, Visa Vajranaga, Sthavaravisa, Vatsanagaka
Assamese : Mithavish, Bish
Bengali : Kathavish
English : Aconite
Gujrati : Vachhanaag, Basanaag
Hindi : Bisa, Meethabisha, Bachhnaag, Teliya Bish
Kannada : Basanalli, Vatsanabha, Vatsanabhi, Vachanaga
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Vatsanabhi
Marathi : Bachnaga
Oriya : Tahara, Mahura, Mithvisa
Punjabi : Mitha Visha, Mithatelia
Tamil : Vasanaavi, Vatsanabhi, Nabhi, Vasanabhi
Telugu : Vatsanaabhi, Naabhi
Urdu : Bachnak, Mithalelia, Beesh, Atees
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Roots paired, occasionally separated due to breakage, ovoid, conical, small portions of stem sometimes attached, tapering downwards to a point, 2-4.5 cm, rarely 5 cm long, 0.4 – 1.8 cm thick, gradually decrease in thickness towards tapering end; wrinkled longitudinally and transversely, rough due to root scars; dark brown to blackish-brown; fracture, cartilaginous, hard and white within the cambium ring and brownish outside cambium; odour indistinct, taste, slightly bitter followed by a strong tingling sensation, poisonous.
b) Microscopic
Root -Shows epidermis 1-3 layered, suberised, papillose on outside, primary cortex consisting of 8-10 layers of oval to tangentially elongated, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells, without or with a few intercellular spaces, a few rectangular or triangular stone cells in singles found scattered in this zone; primary cortex separated by distinct endodermis; inner bark parenchymatous, consisting of round to oval cells, containing a few groups of phloem strands, occupying more than half the radius; cambium having 6 – 10 angles; xylem vessels arranged almost in a ring, some scattered, often forming ‘V’ shaped ring, enclosing xylem parenchyma in older portions; bundles compact often wedge-shaped having acute apex; xylem exarch, metaxylem vessels met in centre; starch grains simple measuring 6-18 n in dia. and compound grains consisting of 2-5 components with hilum in centre, present in cortical cells, phloem parenchyma and xylem parenchyma.
Powder – Light grey; shows vessels, a few aseptate fibres, and numerous simple and compound starch grains having hilum in the centre, single grain measuring 6-18 n india.
IDENTITY, PURITY AND STRENGTH
Foreign matter Not more than 2 per cent, Appendix 2.2.2.
Total Ash Not more than 5.5 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 8 per cent, Appendix 2.2.6.
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 24 per cent, Appendix 2.2.7.
T.L.C.
T.L.C. of alcoholic extract of the drug on Silica gel ‘G’ plate using Chloroform:
Methanol (90:10) shows six spots at Rf. 0.10, 0.20, 0.39, 0.56, 0.74 and 0.96 (all yellow) on exposure to Iodine vapour. On spraying with Dragendorff reagent two spots appear at Rf. 0.39 and 0.96 (both orange).
CONSTITUENTS – Alkaloids
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Madhura
Guna : Vikasi, Viyavayi, Laghu, Ruksa, Usna, Tiksna, Yogavahi
Virya : Usna
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Rasayana, Trid°sahara, Sv®dala, Pittasantapakaraka
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Tribhuvanakirti Rasa, Anandabhairava Rasa, Sutasekhara Rasa, Vatavidhwansana Rasa, Mahavisagarbha Taila
THERAPEUTIC USES – Vataroga, Sannipata, Vatakaphajvara, Jvaratisara, Kanharoga.
DOSE – 15 – 30 mgs of the drug in powder form.
Note: It is dangerous to exceed the normal dose.
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