Mandukaparni

Centella asiatica Linn – Ayurvedic Herb

 

 

 

 

 

 

The drug manduki is known since the vedic period and is considered as one of the important aushadi.

Charaka described it as medha rasayana and the same is accepted by all the ayurvedic texts.

There are certain herbs with similar names which need to be differentiated from mandukaparni viz, mandukaparna is syonka and mandukaparnika is manjustha.

 

SYNONYMS AND INTERPRETATION

• Mandukaparni :- its leaves resembles the shape of the body of frog.
• Mahaushadi:- it is a potent medicine for imprailing intelligence.
• Sarasvati:- its rasa is potent.
• Mandiki:- it is a runner.
• Twasti:- it is the site for goddess lakshmi.
• Divya:- it is a divya aushadi as it has devine.
• Suvarkata:-
• Adithya bhaktha:- gives brightness to the mind like sun.
• Mandukabrahmi:-
• Somavalli:- a creeper having the properity of soma.
• Brahmi:- a plant looks beautiful.
• Smarani:- improves rememberance capacity.
• Darduro:- like a frog prefers marshy place for its growth.

VERNACULAR NAMES

• English:- Indian penny wort.
• Hindi:- brhamamanduki.
• Kannada:- brhammisoppu, vandelaga.
• Malayalam:- muttil, kutannal, kadanghal.
• Telugu:- sarasvathyaku.
• Tamil:- vallari lirai.
• Gujurati:- kjanda brhami.

OFFICINAL PART

• Whole plant

 

DOSAGE

Swarasa:- 10-20ml.

Choorna:- 3-6gms.

 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

• Fresh leaves contain a glucoside asiaticoside and asiatic acid.
• Root and leaves contain vellarine, pectic acid and resin.
• Plant contains alkaloid hydrocotylin, a white crystalline, bitter, medicinally potent principle, volatile oil in little quantity.
• Dried herb contains centoic acid and centellic acid.
• Leaves rich in carotenoids and vitamin-B&C, flavanoids.

 

PROPERTIES

• Rasa :- Tikta.
• Guna:-laghu.
• Veerya:-sheetha.
• Vipaka:- Madhura.
• Doshaghnata:- kapha, pitta, shamaka.
• Prabhava:- medhya.

 

CONROVERSIAL STUDIES

 

• Mandukaparni and brhami are often confusing the scholars.
• Bhavamishra prscribed brhami mandhukaparni as possessing similar properties.
• Dalhana:- several times quoted mandukaparni and brhami as synonyms. But measured these two plants separately under rasayama chapter.
• In dhanvantari nighantu and raja nighantu suvarcata is used as synonyms of mandukaparni.
• Shodhala described its as mandhuka brahmi.
• Kaiyadeva identified both these plants synonyms after a long controversy, at present mandukaparni and brhami are identified as centella asiatica and B. monniere respectively.

 

THERAPUETIC USES

• Apasmara:- Brhami swarasa with dugdha is given.
• Unmade:- brhami swarasa and kusta and given along with honey (V.S)
• Udhara roga:- mandukaparni shaka and trivrut is given along with swarasa.
• Masurika;- brahmi swarasa with honey.
• As a general tonic rasayana. Swarasa is given along with milk.
• Kamala:- mandukaparni juice is mixed with the honey. Haridra, amalaki or milk and taken in the morning. (vai. Ma)
• Pitika:- applications of mandukaparni juice locally with be useful (G.N).

 

RESEARCH STUDIES

• In a double blind clinical trial on thirty mentally retarded children, a significant improvement in both general ability and behaviourial pattern when the drug was administrated for a short period of 12 weeks.
• In a double blind clinical trial on 43 normal adults, the rasayana effect of the drugs was studied. It increased the mean level of RBC, blood sugar, serum cholesterol, vital capacity and total protein. The increase is 116% was quite high and statistically significant. The drug also decreased the mean blood area level and moderate decrease in serum acid phosphate was observed(appar rao, A69).
• The whole plant powder prevented the mortality rate and albino rate feed on low protein diet it increases the blood protein nitrogen and prevented the fatty infiltration of liver(rajagopalan et.al .1970).
• Titrated extract of centella asiatica revealed good therapeutic effects on peptic ulcer.
• Brahmosides were found to posses sedative action in rats equivalent to that of a minor tranquillizer. The action appeared to be mainly on the cholinergic mechanism.

FORMULATIONS

 

• Brahmi rasayana:- charaka chikitsastana, B.P
• Saravatarishta:- yoga rathnakara.
• Brahmi paka:- bhava prakasha, Y.R
• Brahmi gritha :- Y.R.
• Brahmi taila :- Y.R.

 

FOLKORE USES

 

• Leaf juice with palm jaggery is given to women as a tonic after delivery.
• Syrup of leaves with ginger and black pepper is taken for cough.
• Leaf juice is rubbed on the forehead to cure haead ache.
• Leaves are diuretic.

 

ECOLOGY

 

It is commonly grows in marshy areas throughout India, Nepal, srilanka, china, Taiwan and vitah, and is also found in florida, Hawaii and other southern states of USA. Where it can be grow in common conditions by the pond or bog garden.

 

CULTIVATION AND HARVESTING

 

Cultivation:- cultivated throughout the India especially Bombay and Bihar.

Harvesting:- throughout the year near by water resources.