BOTANICAL NAME: Piper retrofractum
FAMILY: Piperaceae
CLASSICAL CLASSIFICATION:
Charaka: Triptighna, Arshoghna, Deepaniya, Shoola prashamana
Sushruta: Pippalyadi varga
Bhavaprakash: Haritakyadi varga
ENGLISH NAME: Cubeb
COMMON NAME:
Hindi: Chavya
Bengali: Ceara
Kannada: Kadumenasinaballi, Chavya
Punjabi: Chabak
REFERENCE: BHAVAPRAKASH SAMHITA with link e Nighantu:
https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/e-Nighantu/bhavaprakashanighantu/?mod=read
भवेच्चव्यं तु चविका कथिता सा तथोषणा |
कणामूलगुणं चव्यं विशेषाद् गुदजापहम् ||६१|| ( Haritakyadi varga)
HABITAT: Imported from Indonesia and Singapore.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION:
It is a glabrous fleshy climber with adhesive roots. Leaves are 12.5-18 cm long and 6-7 cm wide, lanceolate, oblong, base rounded, petiole 6-13 mm long. Fruiting spikes in the shape of cylindrical conic. Fruits are very small, globose, bright red, having weak aromatic odor and pungent flavor resembling pepper, imparting ginger-like aftertaste.
AYURVEDIC CHARACTERISTICS:
| RASA | GUNA | VEERYA | VIPAKA | PRABHAVA/ KARMA | DOSHGHNTA |
| Katu | Laghu, Ruksha | Ushna | Katu | – | Kapha-Vata Shamak, Pittavardhak |
AYURVEDIC ENERGETICS
| TASTE | PROPERTY | POTENCY | POST DIGESTIVE EFFECT | EFFECT ACTION | DOSHA ACTION |
| Pungent | Lightness, Dryness | Hot | Pungent | – | Kaphavata Pacifying, Pitta Alleviating |
MAJOR CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: Piperine, Sylvatine, Piperlonguminine, Guineensine, Piperlongumine, Filfiline, B-sitosterol, Mythylpiperate, Fructose, Glucose and Mucilage
THERAPEUTIC USES:
- Shwasa and kasa: Hot infusion is given orally and this will help in expelling the excess cough.
- Joint Disorders: Local application of paste of chavya.
- Toothache: Ripe fruit powder is sprinkled into the tooth cavity
- Stomatitis: Decoction of leaves is used as gargles.
INDICATIONS:
Krimi Worminfestation, Apachi Indigestion, Aruchi Anorexia, Prameh Diabetes mellitus, Amatatisara Diarrhoea, Shwasa Asthma, Kantha roga Throat disorders, Kasa cough, Sandhivata Osteoarthritis, Amvata Rheumatoid arthritis
USEFUL PART: Root, Fruit
DOSAGE: Churna (root): 1-2 gm, Churna (phal): 250 gm
AYURVEDIC FORMULATION:
1. Panchkol phant
2. Prandagudika
3. Chavyadigrith
4. Kankayan modak
5. Chandramrita rasa