Kanchanara is known by the botanical name Bauhinia variegata belonging to Caesalpinioideae family. It has main actions like Dipana, Grahi, Kapha Pitha hara. It is very effective in Gandamala.
LITERARY REVIEW
Kovidara is the original name of Kanchanara during the vedic and samhita periods. Vedic literature cosidered its stem as forebidden for rituals. Its utility is relatively less in the Brhat trayi period. Caraka considered it as vamanopaga while Susrutha described it as vamana (urdhvabhagahara). Susrutha also clarified that the root is the useful part of kovidara, while the practice at present is to use the steam bark.
Another important aspect about kovidara is that it is described along with karbudara ie, while variety of kovidara. The white variety is identified as Bauhinia alba. Karbudara is described only by Vagbhata. It is mainly known for its action on lymphadenitis. Hence the Gandari.
SYNONYMS
Gandari
Sonapuspaka
Kanchanaka
Kovidara
Karbudara
Svalpa kesari
Yugapatraka
Camarika
Asphothaka
Kundala
Chamari
Yugmapatraka
| SYNONYMS
|
Bh. Ni | S. Ni | K. Ni | Dh. Ni | M. Ni | R. Ni |
| Kanchanara | ü | ü | ||||
| Kanchana | ü | ü | ü | |||
| Raktapushpa | ü | ü | ü | |||
| Kanthara | ü | |||||
| Kanaka prabha | ü | |||||
| Koliyasha | ü | |||||
| Bhramareshta | ü | |||||
| Manohara | ü | |||||
| Kumbhaara | ü | |||||
| Kovidara | ü | |||||
| Kanthapushpa | ü | |||||
| Karaka | ü | |||||
| Kaanthaara | ü | |||||
| Yamalacchadha | ü |
VERNACULAR NAMES
English – Mountain Ebony, Orchid tree, Camel’s foot tree
Hindi – Kachanar, Kanchara, Kachnar
Tamil – Sigappu mandarai, Sihappu mantari
Telugu – Devakanchanam
Kannada – Kanchavala, Keyumandar
Malayalam – Mandharam, Chuvanna
Sanskrit – Kancanaraka
Bengali – Kanchana, Rakta kanchana
Kashmiri – Kalad
Marathi – Kanchana, Rakta kanchana
Punjabi – Kanchanar
Oriya – Kanchana, Kaniara
VARIETIES
There are three varieties of kanchanara on the basis of the flower colour i.e. svetha, peetha and raktha. Svetha and Raktha varieties of kanchanara are of kovidara. Which is botanically identified as Bauhinia purpurea, commonly known as koilar and also koliar and peddare. Kovidara flowers in sharat rtu and fruits in winter. Where kanchanara flowers in spring as indicated in classical description (chakrapani annotating C.S chi 4/70).
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS
- Β – sitosterol
- Lupeol
- Kaempferol
- 3 – glucoside etc
- In bark – Tannins and resins.
- Seed yield a fatty oil, the bark yields fibre Five flavonoid isolated from the different organs of B – variegate identified as quercetin, rutin, quercetin, apigenin and apigenin 7-O-glucoside, Saponins, steroids, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, sugars are also present.
- The alcoholic extract of the stem bark showed CNS activity, producing hypothermia in mice.
PROPERTIES
Rasa – Kashaya
Guna – Ruksha, Lagu
Veerya – Sheetha
Vipaaka – Katu
Karma – Kapha – Vata hara
KARMA
- Gandamalanasana
- Kusthaghna
- Sothahara
- Sthambhana
- Krimighna
- Vamaka
- Raktastambana
- Lasikagranthisothahara
- Kasahara
- Muthrasangrahaniya
- Arthavasravahrasaka
- Lekhana – medapnayana
PRAYOGA
- Gandamala
- Raktapradara
- Raktapitta
- Mutrakrcchra
- Vrana
- Arsas
- Musurika
- Atisara
- Twak rogas
- Leprosy
- Intestinal worms
- Diabetes
- Tumours
- Inflammations
- Haemorrhoid
- Menorrhagia
- Cough
- Proctoptosis
CLASSICAL USES OF KANCHANARA
Gandamala – Fresh Kancanara twak mixed with sunthi should be pounded with sour gruel and taken. It is an excellent remedy for Gandamala (V.M 41.19)
Masurika – Swarna mashika bhasma is given with decoction of (pox) kancanara twak. (B.P C: 60.49)
In Gandamala – Decoction of kancanara and triphala added with
& Galagandha pippali powder is beneficial and also triphala – ghrita and diet of barley and green gram. (C.K 183)
Decoction of kancanara twak added with sunthi powder destroys gandamala. Similarly acts that of varuna bark added with honey. (SG 2.2.126 also B.P.Ci 44.37).
USEFUL PARTS
- Bark
- Flower
- Root
Bark – It is dark brown, sometimes with silvery patches, rough, compact, exfoliating in woody strips and scales. Outer surface with small transverse and longitundinal cracks, internal surface white, taste – mildly astringent. Fracture – short outside and fibrous with in, odour faint and characteristics
Root – It is also astringent
Flowers– Few, large, fragrant, white or pink.
DOSAGE
- Twak Churna – 5g
- Pushpa svarasa – 10 – 20ml
- Decoction – 550 – 100ml
FORMULATIONS
- Kancanara guggulu
- Kancanaradi kvatha
- Kancana gudika
- Kovidaradi kasaya