Kanthala – AGAVE CANTULA Roxb
Botanical Name – AGAVE CANTULA Roxb
Agorve cantula is a Mexican native plant which is also seen in many parts of the world. It is a succulets with fleshy leaves which is spiney .It is being found in the Southern part too. It is available in Kerala and Karnataka too.It is having anticancer action .The flowers are used in ear troubles and the leaves are used in wound healing.
VERNACULAR NAMES OF CANTALA
English – American aloe
Hindi – Baasnake Vaada, Baanskeora, Barakanwar , Kantalaa.
Kannada – Kathhaala, Aane Mundi
Malayalam – Naatu Kaitha, Panankttaa.
Sanskrit – Kanthala
Tamil – Katthaalai
Telugu – Kitthanaara
Gujarati – Tanglikanwara
Punjabi – Kantala, kitki
French – Erava de sao jaao
Scientific classification
Kingdom – Plantae
(Unranked) – Angiosperm
(Unranked) – Monocots
Order – Asparagales
Family – Agavacae
Genus – Agave
Species – cantula
Family character
- They are perennial, stout, scapiyerous plant
- They have short woody stem.
- They are succulent with a large rosette of thick fleshy leaves.
Leaves
Fleshy, long leaves with spines on it.
Flowers
Large number of short tubular flower.
Stem
Short woody stem
Habitat and descriprion
Chief Mexican, agaves occur also in the southern and western united states and in central tropical South America. They are succulents with large rosette of thick fleshy leaves, each ending generally in a sharp point and with a spiny margin, the stout stem is usually shot, the leaves apparently springing from the root along with related genus yucca.
Each rosette is monocarpic and gross slowly to flower only once. During flowering, a toll stem or “mast” grown from the centre of the leaf rosette and bears a large number of short tubular flower. After development of fruits. The orginal plant dies but suckers are frequently produced from the based of the stem which become new plants. It is common misconception that agave are cacti. They are not rebile to cati, nor or they closely related to aloe whose leaves are similar.
Useful parts
Leaves
Flowers
Chemical constituents
Lipid constituents of the plant were identified as hentria cont – 25- enol.
Contents of hecogenium and diosge did in leaves are reportd.
Content of cantalasaponium – 1 from rhizome is reported
Organoleptic study
Colour – Fresh green leaves.
Flowers are cream in colour.
Taste – Bitter
Properties
Rasa – Tikta
Yuna – Teekshna, Rooksha
Veerya – Ushna
Vipaka – Rooksha
Pharmo cotherapeutic properties & action
The flowers are used in ear troubles leaves are used in wound healing.
Antifertility
The ethanotic extract of the rhizome and spirostanol constituents were shown proses sper micidal activities against human sparmatoza at 2% level.
Anticancer
Cautalaseponin -1- isolated from the rhizome were reported to exbibit some in vitro anticancer activity against J TC – 26 (originating from human cerviced carcinoma) in a concenteration of 25 X 500 mg /ml
Folklore Uses
- Gum exuding from the leaves and root is used as a cure for tooth ache
- Used for the treatment for skin problems in folk vetinary medicine of Italy
- Juice taken from the leaf is used for conjuctivities, irritants, dermatiks
- Skin of the leaf is used for rheumatism
- The gum of the leaf is used in pimples
- Leaves are used for wound healing.