About the drug :-
Karkatasringi, it is known by the botanical name Pistacia integerrima belonging to Anacardaceae it has main actions like kapha vatahara, vrsya, grahi, dipana etc. It is an important herb with excellent therapeutic utility in kasa rogas.
LITERARY REVIEW
A herb karkatika is described in kesava paddhati (25/22). However its identity with P. interrima is doubtful. Mesasrngi is mentioned in Vishnu Dharma Sutra (61/5). Ajasringi quoted in the vedic literature is an important herb but it is a climber according to P.V Sharmaji and others. Therefore its identity appears controversial from the early times.
Both caraka and susrutha have delineated karkata or karkataka visa as a poison of vegetable origin. Karkataka is the name of the tree producing sringi (gall). People consider this tree as dreadful. It is important to note that susrutha classified it as kanda visa (poisonous tuber). Similar confusion is apparent in the context of Ganja which is categorized under moola visa (root poison). These aspects are to be taken up as one of the research topics in future and scientific evaluation is necessary.
Karkataka is the synonym of Trapusa (cucumber) as well. Caraka interpreted it as the small variety of amalaka (C.S Ni 14/90) Thakurji is the opinion that its identity is not impossible since the toxic symptoms of this plant are documented by susrutha (S.S. Ka 2/17). Therefore correct identity is possible.
SYNONYMS
- Ajasrngi
- Kulira visanika
- Vakra
- Srngi
- Vishanika
- Khosha
- Maha Khosha
- Kalika
- Shikhara
- Karkatatwa
- Chakara
- Kulira Vishanika
- Kuleer shringi
- Ghosha
- Chandra
- Kalinga
- Vanaja mardhaja
- Karkata
- Karkataki
- Arthachampika
- Latangi
VERNACULAR NAMES
English : Crabs claw
Hindi : Kakadasrngi, Kakarasingi
Kannada : Kakada shrungi, Karkataka shrungi
Tamil : Karkata shrungi
Telugu : Kakar singi, Karkataka shrungi
Malayalam : Karkataka sringi
Bengali : Kankihasringi
Assamese : Kakiasingi
Gujarati : Kakadashing
Kashmiri : Kakkar, Kamaladina
Marathi : Kakadshingi
Oriya : Kakadashrungi
Punjabi : Kakar, kakarsingi
Urdu : Kakarasinghi
PARTS USED
- Galls – srngaka kosa
- Horn like cocoons on the leaves.
DOSAGE
Powder – 3- 6g
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS
It contain essential oil 1.3%, tannin, 60%, mastic gum 5%, a resinous substance, crystalline acids and also crystalline for hydro carbons 3 – 4 %.
Galls : Essential oil, resin, pistacienoic acid A & B,sitosterol, aroma dendrone, camphene, caprylic acid, caprylic acid, cineol, α pinene
Leaves & bark : Tannins
Seeds : Amino acid,dihydro malvic acid proteins,
sterals,triterPenoids.
Drupe oil : Pistacin, pistacinin,di hydro quocetin
PROPERTIES
| Rasa | Kasaya,Tikta | |
| Guna | Laghu, Ruksha | |
| Virya | Usna | |
| Vipaka | Katu | |
| Dosa karma | Kapha – Vatha samaka | |
SROTHOGAMITHVA
Dosha : Kaphaghna,vatasamaka
Dhathu : Rasayani-rasa (fever)
Mala : Purisha – Constipative
Srotas : Respirative system (Dyspnoea and cough –
specially in children) Uterus (endometrium).
Age – children upto 3 – 4 years old.
KARMA
- Kasahara
- Kaphaghna
- Kaphanissaraka
- Hikka Nigrahana
- Sothahara
- Raktharodhahara
- Vrana – kshata ropana
- Dipana
- Vatanulomana
- Grahi
- Garbhashaya Sotha
- Sravarodhaka
- Jvaraghna
- Katu Poustika
PRAYOGA
- Svasa
- Kasa
- Hikka
- Galasotha
- Ksaya
- Rajayaksma
- Dantamula raktasrava vikara
- Vrana – ksata
- Agnimandya
- Udavarta
- Aruci
- Chardi
- Atisara
- Pravahika
- Balaroga
- Dantodbhedajanya vikara
- Pradara
- Puyameha
- Jvara
- Vataslaismika jvara
USAGE ACCORDING TO SYSTEM
Digestive System : Being Ushna, it is amappetize, carminative and astringent in nature, thus useful and effective in anorexia, dipsia and diarrhoea, dysentery. Mainly effective in children’s diseases.
Respiratory System : Because of its bitter and pungent taste, it is an expectorant and kaphagna. Helps in hiccough, cough, dyspoea. It acts as an expectorant and prevents, further productive cough and strengthens the respiratory membrane (inner lining of the surface). It is also effective in pharyngitis and sore throat.
Reproductive System: It alleviates endometritis and also reduces uterine exudates, thus helps in healing. It also alleviates gonorrhoea induced inflammation and discharges.
CLASSICAL USES OF KARKATASRINGI
- Vataja kasa – Karkatasringi powder is given with oil as anupana. (C.S Ci 18)
- Vaji karana – Karkatasringi kalka should be taken with milk while consuming sugar,ghee and milk as the main diet.
(A.S Ut 50)
- Kasa – Karkatasringi powder may be licked with ghee sugarand honey followed by milk as anupana.
(A.S Ci 4)
- Kapha chardi – Powder of musta and karkatasringi is useful.
(C.S Ci 20)
- Hiccough – Gruel cooked with karkatasringi is beneficial for
thosesuffering from asthma and Hiccough.
(C.S Ci 17/101)
- Asthma – Powder of karkatasringi and seeds of radish mixed with honey and ghee alleviates asthma
in children. (BS. Balaroga 62)
- Vomiting – In order to check vomiting caused by Kapha
one should take:
- Powder of jambu and badara (fruits).
- Karkatasringi mixed with musta
- Duralabha with honey (C.S Ci 20/38)
- A6 aphordisiac – One who takes paste of Karkatasringi
dissolved in milk keeping onthe diet of cereals with sugar, ghee and milk perform like bull in woman. (A.S U 50/44)
- Samphoga Sakti – The paste of karkatasringi galls dissolved in
milk is orally given to a person (keeping
him on diet of cereals of with sugar ghee
and milk)for attaining strong sexual power.
- Throat Complaints- Powder of drug Karkatasringi (galls powder).
- Chest complaints – Powder of Karkatasringi.
FOKLORE USES
- It is used widely as an herbal remedy for many ailment, including cough, asthma, fever vomiting and diarrhoea.
- Long horn shaped leaf galls that often develop on this tree are harvest and used to make karkadasringi and herbal medicine for diarrhoea in northern India.
- It is traditionally used as folk remedy for various pathological conditions including diabetes.
RESEARCH
- Oil is extracted from pistacia chinensis exhibited CNS depressant activity. ( Int. J Pharmocology 1993)
- Pistagremic acid, a glucosidase inhibitor from pistacia integerrima, is responsible for the folk use of this plant in diabetes.
YOGAS
- Bala caturbhadra curna
- Srngyadi curna
- Karkatadi curna
- Bala sanjivani curna
- Dasamula kwatha curna
- Cyavanaprasa
- Kasavati