VACHA (ACORUS CALAMUS LINN.): A VALUABLE MEDICINAL PLANT

Last few decades have again shown a notable resurgence of interest in medicinal plants. The reason behind is the increasing awareness about the limitations of the synthetic chemotherapeutic agents. Now herbal medicines and natural products are in big demand all over the world. One of the important medicinal plant used in Ayurveda traditional medicine to treat different ailments and maintain health condition is Vacha (Acorus calamus Linn.). It is a herbaceous perennial belonging to family Araceae. Vacha is one of the most renowned herbs of the ancient Vedic seer as a rejuvenative for the brain and nervous system. Vacha stimulates the power of self expression and intelligence. Rhizome of Acorus calamus Linn. Contain calamediol, essential oil, tanning substances and vitamin C. These constituents are valuable in a vast range of diseases. Vacha has a special potency as a nervine tonic. It is a very vigorous brain tonic, because it shows results in a very short time. It increases the overall memory of the person and strengthens the nervous system. Vacha is prescribed to people who have amnesia. Improving the memory is a quest on which human beings have embarked centuries ago. In almost all civilizations, there have been attempts to discover the best herbs for brain enhancement with minimum side effects. Perhaps, Ayurveda wins the race in this. All the herbs Ayurveda uses for its brain tonics have minimum side effects and are quite safe for the human beings. Western science is now warming up to these herbs and is looking upon them as effective supplements for the human brain. It works well in digestive ailments like flatulence, loss of appetite, distaste, abdominal dull pain and worms. Vacha relieves the phlegm, eases cough and asthma. It is also useful to reduce fever. It is also highly useful for the treatment of epilepsy and other mental ailments

A COMPARATIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF GENUINE AND MARKET SAMPLE OF GAJAPIPPALI W.S.R TO SCINDAPSUS OFFICINALIS SCHOTT (ARACEAE)

Gajapippali (Scindapsus officinalis Schott.) is one of the plants used in Indian system of medicine belongs to family Aracea. In the present study physicochemical analysis and preliminary phytochemical screening of fruits of genuine and market sample have been carried out. The total ash is found to be 9.67%, 6.74%, 6.6%, the acid insoluble ash is found to be 1.12%, 0.57%, 0.7%, the water soluble ash is found to be 16.75%, 19.59%, 19.6% respectively both in genuine and market sample. The alcohol soluble extractive value is found to be 11.53%, 9.56%, 9.6%, the aqueous soluble extractive value is found to be 19.65%, 18.91%, 18.94%, the petroleum-ether extractive value is found to be 4.59%, 3.65%, 3.7% respectively both in genuine and market sample. The moisture content is found to be 6.4%, 3.6%, 3.5% respectively both in genuine and market sample. The pH value is found to be 8.1, 6.8, 6.8 respectively both in genuine and market sample. Preliminary phytochemical screening of successive extracts of fruit reveals the presence of various secondary metabolites such as Alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, tannins, steroids, phenolic compounds, amino acids, proteins and carbohydrates. The TLC and HPTLC finger print study also carried out in both genuine and market sample. By the study I have sure that this work will be helpful to further standardization of the drug

VARUN (CRATAEVA NURVALA BUCH-HAM): A CRITICAL REVIEW W.S.R. TO URINARY TRACT DISORDER

Human passion on herbal medicine dated back to times immemorial. Man is the clever living being that knows how to adapt to the changing environment of time and space. As we are all aware, the very survival of animal kingdom is depending on the plant kingdom. The plants or herbs played major part in the pharmaco therapy during the Vedic period in India. Vedic literatures indicate mainly about the utility of single herbs in management of common disease. Among all the single herbs one of the most valuable medicinal herb Varun (Crataeva nurvala Buch-Ham), which is used to treat the different disease and also maintain the healthy condition of the body system. It is a small tree having much branches belonging to family Capparidaceae. Each part of   Varun tree including bark, root, leaf having certain medicinal properties. Chiefly, the bark of   Varun mainly used in the treatment of urolithiasis (Asmari bhedan), the decoction of root bark mainly used in lymph adenitis (Gandamala nasan) and immature wound healing (Apakwa vidradhi) respectively. The leaf is mainly used to reduce the fattiness of the body (Medohar). Hence this paper work is prepared for the re-evolution of the therapeutic importance of the herbal plant Varun (Crataeva nurvala Buch-Ham).

A CRITICAL REVIEW ON GAJAPIPPALI WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SAMHITA GRANTHAS

Herbal medicines is becoming popular worldwide, whereas Ayurveda is respected, but not accepted globally as a system of medicine to be prescribed in the treatment of ailments. Today In the developing countries many drugs are commonly used as herbal origin. The Vedic literatures indicate mainly about the utility of single herbs in management of common diseases. Samhita granth such as Brihatryee which includes Charak Samhita, Susrut Samhita, Vaghbhatta Samhita and Laghutrayee which includes Sarangdhar Samhita, Bhav prakash Samhita & Madhav Nidan, some other Samhitas such as Bhel Samhita, Harit Samhita, Kashyap samhita, which indicates the utility of single herbal drugs as well as the compound formulation in different diseases. Gajapippali is one of the most valuable drug which is frequently described in the different Samhitas as well as Nighantus, which shows its leading importance and wide utility in different therapeutics. Gajapippali belonging to family Araceae is a large epiphyte climbing shrub, rooting freely from the stem, marked with annular scars of fallen leaves. The fruits of Gajapippali shows Anthelmintic, Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic, Anti-asthamatic, Antimicrobial, Cytostatic, Anti-oxidant activities. This herb has been given special appreciation in Ayurveda due to versatile therapeutic benefits. This paper provides detail description of Gajapippali in Brihatryee as well as Laghutrayee and the efficiency in various disorders