Apamarga

Achyranthes aspera linn – Ayurvedic herb

 

 

 

 

“Apamarga” it is known by the botanical name. “Achyranthus aspera Linn

Yajurveda texts quote it saktu for anti microbial property.

The process of preparation of apamarga ksara is also delineated in veda

Madyandini samhitha used a special name i.e, apaga for apamarga.

Atharvana veda extensively quoted Apamarga and according to the etymology provided by synonymn .

Paipalada school describes it as dourbhagyanasana and anapatyatanasana

Charaka considered apamarga as the best among the drugs used for nasya.

 

VARIETIES

There are two varieties of apamarga . Viz.

Raktha Apamarga or red variety

Swetha Apamarga or white variety

And their source plants are

Achyranthus rubrofusco

Achyranthus Aspera respectively

These kinds in classical text or meteria media (Nigandu) include Raktha Apamarga (small and red variety) and classical text (samhithas) and another variety as Daurdanda pomaraga (a sun variety of with whitish stem or ‘dandu’ by vaghbata sutra 1-39

Other plants are also indicates as kind or varieties of Apamarga eg. Achyranthus bidentata “ Achyranthus Porphyistachys and Apamarga Argetea

SYNONYMS

• Kapi pippal
• Pratyak pushpi
• Mayuraka
• Sikhari
• Kinhi
• Adhahsaly
• Markata Pippali
• Kubia
• Karamanjar
• Durgrahe

 

VERNACULAR NAMES

Hindi : chirachinta

English : prickly chalf and flower

Telugu : uttareni

Tamil : Nayurvi

Kannada : uttaren

Malayalam : Katalati

Bengali : Apany

Punjab : Puthakanada

Marathi : Aghada

PART USED

Root

Seed

Leaf

Whole plant

 

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENT

 

Betanine

Achyrenthine

Hentriacontane

Achyranthus suponine A,B,C,D

Tannin

Glycosiaes

PROPERTIES/ GUNA

 

Rasa : Katu, tikta

Guna : Laghu, ruksha, tikshna

Virya : Usna

Vipaka : Katu

Doshagnathe : Kapha –vadhu shamaka

 

ACTIONS

 

Kapha vatahara

Sirovirechema

Dipona – pachana

Medohara

 

INDICATION

Chardi

Hridaya

Adhmana

Kandu

Sula

Udara

Apachi

Ruktarasa

Krimi

Sidhama

Sadyo vrana

Mutakrcchra.

 

PHARMACOLOGY

Alcoholic and aqueous extracts of the root cause full in B.P. but in chloroform extract raises the BP in dogs. Achyranthus product hyper tension and depression of the heat , dilation of B.V in dogs , 8 parmogenic effect in frog rectus muscle and diuretic and purgative effect in albino rats . Alcoholic extract has hypoglycemic activity seep saponins increase contraction of the isolated heat of frogiquene pig and shortee in duration that exerted by diyoxin saponins have phosphor related activity in heart. saponins have diuretic activity in albino rats and in dog.

 

RESEARCH STUDIES

 

vThe diuretic activity of Ksares was found to be due to its high potassium content ( Bhide et al, 1958)

vClinically administration of decoction whole plants to patients of leprosy has been reported to show encouraging results in leprosy reaction as well as the quiescent stage of lepromatous leprosy ( ojher et al, 1996 and ogher and singh 1968)

vThe alcoholic extract of the whole plant showed hypoglycemic activity in albino rats (dhar et al 1968)

vSchool essential oil showed anti fungal activity against aspergillus carnens (phytochem 1992 , 31, 1811)

vThe diuretic effect of saponin mixture was associated with increase in excretion of Na and k in urine as found with acetuzlanide (gupta et al lutzb)

MATRA

Fresh juice – 10-20 ml

Ksara – .5 -2g

Mula churna – 3 -5 gms

Bija choorna – 5 to 10 ml

Mulakwata – 25 to 50 ml

FORMULATIONS

Apamarga ksara

Sikhari grita

Apamarga taila

Abhayalavana

Jyothishmathi taila

Gudapippali

 

SUBSTITUTE AND ADULTRANTS

The plant being a common weed, adulterants is seldom noticed, achyranthus biclentata blunce , a closely allied species occurring wild as higher attitudes in Himalayan region is sometimes erroncausly collected . This plant is distinguished by its short spikes and almost glabrous leaves of comparatively large size.

 

THERAPEUTIC USES

External uses

Seeds are used for nasya.[marsa,pratimarsa]

Pathra swarasa used in vrana ropana

Useful in vruchika dramshta

In medoroga anjana is done

Karnashoola apamarga ksara taila is put

Ksarapanapana is indicated in arshas and bhagandara

Beeja churna used in raktharsas

Vishmagvara apamarga moola is used

Internal use

Beeja churna in svasa kasa

Beejachurna+beeja in increased urine output. Reduce the acidic nature of the urine

Apamarga root with mareecha is internally administrated in snake bite

Indicated in bhasmaka roga