Markandika

BOTANICAL NAME: Cassia angustifolia

FAMILY: Caesalpiniaceae

CLASSICAL CLASSIFICATION:

Bhavaprakash: Guduchyadi varga

ENGLISH NAME: Indian senna, tinnevelly senna

COMMON NAME:

Hindi: Sanaya, hindisana

Kannada: Nelavarika, Sonamukhi, nelaavare, nelavarika.

Bengali: Svamamukhi, sonapata

Punjabi: sannamakhi, sanapati, sarnapatta

REFERENCE: BHAVAPRAKASH SAMHITA with link e Nighantu:

https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/e-Nighantu/bhavaprakashanighantu/?mod=read

मार्कण्डिका भूमिवल्ली मार्कण्डी मृदुरेचनी |

मार्कण्डिका कुष्ठहरी ऊर्ध्वाधःकायशोधिनी |

विषदुर्गन्धकासघ्नी गुल्मोदरविनाशिनी ||२४४||

HABITAT: Found in south India like in Madura, Trichannapalli, etc

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION: It is Small shrub, 61-91cn in height. Leaves are paripinnate, 7-8 pairs of leaflets, glabrous, yellowish green

Flowers are yellow in color. Pods are greenish brown to dark brown . Seeds are 5-7 in number and smooth, dark brown in color. Flowering and fruiting time- throughout the year

MAJOR CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: Anthraquinone, Glycoside, flavonoids, steroids and resins

THERAPEUTIC USES:

• Constipation – Both the drugs senna and cumin seeds are taken in 4:1 ratio and fine powder is made. This is taken in the dose of 1 gram twice daily.
• Heartburn- The drugs Senna and raisins are taken in 1:10 ratio and decoction or hot infusion is made. This is taken whenever needed.
• Chronic skin diseases – The drugs Aragwadha, Daruharidra and Senna are taken in 4:2:1 ratio and decoction is made. This is taken in an empty stomach in chronic skin complaints for 14-21 days.
• Cough – 1-2 pinch of senna is added to half cup of hot water and kept for a while. Later 1 spoon of honey is added to this and mixed well. This is sipped repeatedly in the conditions of chest congestion and chronic cough.

INDICATIONS:

Visha Toxic conditions, kasa Cough, Gulma Tumor, Udara Roga Ascites

USEFUL PART: Leaves

DOSAGE: 0.5- 2 g powder

AYURVEDIC FORMULATION:

1. Panchsakar churna
2. Sarivadyasava