KANTAKARI
Solanum xanthocarpum – Ayurvedic Herb
LITERARY VIEW
Panini described Kantakarika in his work (PG4/ 154 and 167) . Atharva parisista Vyaghri and Simhi are mentioned vyaghreemani dharana is delineated in atharvaveda .
Vaghbata specifically indicated Nidigdhika for kasa . It is extensively used for this purpose in the classical and traditional medicine. Usually two varities viz Brihati dwaya or Kantakaridwaya.
Some of the synonyms like Dhavanee, vyaghree, Brihati have been used for both kinds of kantakari . It is observed that more than one variety or species of both erect and creeping kinds are available for both the plants but usually one variety each only accepted in the texts. Kayyadeva however mentioned 2 varities of kantakari viz Neela and swetha kantakaree (according to color of flower) also mentioned 2 varities of brihathi and swetha brihathi. Raja nighandu mentioned 8 types swetha kantakarei is described as lakshmana by bhavamishra, Raja Narahari included it under kantakaritraya (Brihati , Agnidamini, Dusparsha).
SYNONYMS
o Kantakinee
o Kashaghnee
o Kulee
o Kshudra
o Kshudraphala
o Chitraphala
o Dusparsha
o Dravanee
o Dhavanee
o Nidigdhika
o Prachodathee
o Rashtrika
o Vyaghree
o Varthaki
o Sprushi
o Kantalika
o Rashtri
o Bahukanta
o Dushpradharshini
o Kantalee
o Kshudra Kandakee
o Brihatee
o Swetha
o Kshudrakanta
o Kantarika
INTERPRETATIONS
KANTAKINI – plant has thrones
KASAGHINI – it’s a good medicine for cough (cures cough)
KULEE – it’s gregarious in habit
KSHUDRA – its morphologically similar to brihati but small in size
DUSPARSHA – it’s difficult to touch the plants due to thorn
DRAVANEE – it liquefies thickened phlegm
DHAVANEE – plant is prostrate in habit
NIDIGDHIKA – due to its USHNA & TEEKSHNA qualities it
Spreads all over the body
VYAGHREE – it improves olfactory function or to
Individual becomes like that of tone of tiger.
CHITRAPHALA – fruits are variegated
KSHUDRAPHALA – fruits are smaller in size when compared with brihati
VERNACULAR NAMES
English : Yellow berried night shade
Hindi : Katai, kataikhuadda, katelli, ringni
Kannada : Nelagulle
Malayalam : Kantakarichunta, kantah katteri, puttachunta
Tulu : Gulla , kallante
Urdu : Bhakkatiya , katilla
Punjab : Batkateya , chotimouhari, Kandiari ,Katela Harnaali, mahovi, mamdi, pilak, abrumba.
Telugu : Challamulaga , Jidduvaste, nelamalaka, nelavakudu, Tellanelamulaka, tellavakudu
Sinhalese : Ellabattu
Tamil : Kandangattari, sutturam, udaravani, udavani
Sind : Aderajjadenay
Sanskrit : Anakranta, Bahukanta, vyaghri, kshudra, nidigdhika, kshudraphala etc.
PART USED
- Whole plant
- Root
- Fruit
DOSAGE
- KWATHA – 40 -80ML
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS
- It contains an alkaloid ‘ solenin’, Pottasium chloride, potassium nitrate , Iron, organic acids, diosgenin, b carotene, subsonine, solasodino – L- B-D glucoside (solasurine , Solanocarpine (solnin –S) tomatidienol etc.
- Root and fruits contain :- solanine and solanidine besidesuary substance , fatty acid and other constituents
- Also and fruit contains diosgenin.
- The phyto chemical analysis finds that some monprotoplasmic cell contents like alkaloid , tannin, sugar , stratch, fat, oil, protein , mucilage, lignin, cutin and calcium oxalate present in the plantreact positevly with diff of acid, aekalies, salts and dyes. The chromatographic studies have been conducted and observations in regard to various important constituents are recorded.
PROPERTIES
Rasa :- Katu, Tikta
Gana :- Laghu, Ruksa, Tiksna
Virya :- Ushna
Vipaka :- Katu
Dosa karma :- Kaphavata Hara
KARMA
- Kasahara
- Kantya
- Swasahara
- Hikkanigrahana
- Muthrala
- Garbhasaya sankochaka
- Vajeekarna
- Garbha sthapana
- Pumsavana (swetha kantakari)
- Jwaraghna
- Sanjna prabodhana
- Raktha sodhaka
- Sothahara
- Vednana sthapana
- Deepana
- Pachana
- Rechana
- Sukra rechana
- Ashmarighna
PRAYOGA
- Kasa
- Swasa
- Parswa soola
- Swarabedha
- Hikka
- Asmari
- Pooyyameha
- Moothrakrichra
- Rajorodha
- Kashta prasava
- Klibya
- Garbhasrava
- Agnimandya
- Vibandha
- Krimi
- Rakthachapa
- Rakthavikara
- Kushta
- Phiranga
- Amavatha
- Charmavikara
- Jwara
- Sotha
- Prathisyaya
MEDICINAL USES
1) PILES
i) Post drink processed with kantakari sunti dhanyak is given which acts as corminative and laxative. (c.chi 14/129)
ii) One who wants elimination of piles should take buttermilk kept overnight in a vessel pasted inside kantakhariphala
(A.H.ci8/44)
2) Cough
i) Kantakari is the best drug for cough (A.H.U 40-56)
ii) The soup of greengram made in decotion of kantakari and added with adhrak and sours is efficacious in all types of cough
iii) Kantakari ghritha I-II(c –ci 18 /35, 125 -28)
iv) Ghee cooked with decoction of kantakari or oil processed with kasamarda, vasa bhringaraja or hareethaki mixed with salt checks cough caused by bath (KK 16.20)
v) Decoction of kantakari added with pippali removes all type of cough (VM 11.31 also CD 11.25; vj 39)
vi) The whole plant of kantakari should be cooked by closed heating. The juice obtained and added with pippali powder alleviates cough branchial asthama and (other disorders of) kapha (SG 2.1.35)
vii) The physician should administer the decoction of kantakari guduchi sunti, cough , facial paralysis, chroniccoryza, anorexia , harshness of voice , abdominal pain indigestion and fever (SG 2.2.48)
3) Bronchial asthama
Kantakari in the quantity equal to an Amalaka fruit added with half quantity of hingu and taken with honey alleviates asthama with in 3 days (S.S.U.51.55)
4) Chronic coryza
Vyaghri taila (S G 2.9.180)
5) Udavartha
Barely along with equal quantity of kantakarikaphala is boiled in water 2.56 litres reduced to 320ml. this is added with Hingu given to the patient (SS.U55.50)
6) Fever
In condition of pain in pelrc region, sides and head liquid gruel of parched paddy processed with kantakari gokshur should be given (AH ci 1.28)
7) Epilepsy :-
Snuffing of juice of kantakareephala eliminates the attack of epilepsy and restores consciousness quickly
8) Suppression and retention of urine:-
i) Decoction of kantakari with honey is useful in this condition (A.Sci.13.5 also AHci 11.11 GN2 28.34)
ii)Yavakshara mixed with equal quantity of sugar alleviates all type of dysuria , similarly acts the decotion of kantakari added with the honey (VM 32.22)
iii) One should take the decoction of kantakari in the dose of 160 ml inorder to eliminate defects of urine .( S.S U.58 .39 also 35 – 39 here honey not added)
9) Calculus :- root of Gokshura + Ekshurasa + Eranda along with both types of Brihati pounded with milk should be dissolved in sweet curd and taken for a week . it breaks calculs (CS.ci 26.22)
10) Thirst :- In case of thirst water boiled with kantakari is given
11) Alasa :- mustard oil cooked with the decoction of kantakari is useful in this case (SS. U. ci 20.24)
12) Eye disease :- Warm goats milk processed with the root of kantakari is useful for sprinkling (SS. U. 9.12)
13) Chronic cough in children:- Linctus prepared with stamens of kantakari pushpa alleviates chronic cough in children (BS balaroga ci71.161)
14) Ear disease : coaks feet is cooked with goat’s milk processed with kantakari and is used for filling in ear disease. (S.S.U.21.13)
15) Swethakari
i) Pushpasava :- swetha brihati kantakari should be pounded with milk and then installed into the right nostril for son and into the left for daughter (AH sa 1.40)
RESEARCH STUDIES
1) Crude plant extract caused hypotension which has been attribute dto release of histamine by some constituents (IJMR 1967, 55, 723)
2) Plant powder is bronchial asthama and non specific cough has been explained as due to the depleison of histamine from lung and its expectorant action as due to in organic nitrate content ( J Res . Med. 1971 , 6, 200)
3) The efficiency of kantakari is an non specific cough and other respiratory disorders is reported ( chora, 1970 and Krishna 1971)
4) Role of kantakari in Kasaroga (respiratoary disorders) is situated clinically(singh 1990).
VISHISTA YOGAS
Vyaghri hareethaki Avaleha – Vataja , kaphaja, kshayaja, kshathaja, Kasa ( B.R. kasadhikara)
Vyaghryadi lehya – Gulma, hridroga, arshas, Swasa, kasa
Kantakaree ghritha – Kasa , swasa