BOTANICAL NAME: Sapindus laurifolius Vahl.
Family: Sapindaceae
CLASSICAL CLASSIFICATION:
BHAVPRAKASH-Vatadi Varga
SANSKRIT NAME:
Kumbha beeja, Peeta Phena, Phenila, RakshaBeeja, Arishtaka, Garbhapati, Mangalaya, Reetakaranja, Guchhapushpaka, Prakeerya.
ENGLISH NAME: Soapberry
COMMON NAME: Reetha, Ritha, Aritha
REFERENCE: BHAVAPRAKASH SAMHITA with link e Nighantu:
https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/e-Nighantu/bhavaprakashanighantu/?mod=read
भावप्रकाश-पूर्वखण्ड-मिश्रप्रकरण – ६. वटादिवर्ग
अरिष्टक
अरिष्टकस्तु माङ्गल्यः कृष्णवर्णोऽर्थसाधनः |
रक्तबीजः पीतफेनः फेनिलो गर्भपातनः |
अरिष्टस्तु त्रिदोषघ्नो ग्रहभिद्गर्भपातनः ||३२||
HABITAT: Distributed in tropical areas, and for its representative genus.
The soapberry family includes important tropical timber, such as akee, native to West Africa. This species has been introduced in the West Indies.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION:
Medium-size family of mostly woody flowering plants
This tree is 8 to 10 mts. high and has many branches with leaves and leaflets- 2, 3 pair-oblong-lanceolate .Flowers are white. Fruits are round, occur in spring.
| RASA | GUNA | VIRYA | VIPAKA | PRABHAVA | DOSHGHNTA |
| Katu, Tikta | Laghu, Snigdha, Tikshna | Ushna | Katu | Vamak | Vaat kaphshamak |
AYURVEDIC ENERGETICS:
| TASTE | PROPERTY | POTENCY | POST DIGESTIVE EFFECT | EFFECT ACTION | DOSHA ACTION |
| Pungent, Bitter | Light for digestion, Unctous in nature, Strong | Hot | Undergoes Pungent taste after digestion | Induces emesis | Pacifies vitiated vaat & kapha dosha |
MAJOR CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:
Saponin, genins, methylhedragenate, sapindic acid, methyl oleanolate.
THERAPEUTIC ACTION:
- Its Local application in powder form lepa is indicated in boils, itching lesions, scorpion bite.
- Its fruit excluding seeds soaked overnight and on morning be applied as shampoo.
- Fruit are bitter hence used as emetic, expectorant, abortifacient.
- Root powder is used in Hemicrania.
INDICATIONS:
Kushta Skin disorder, kandu Itching, Ardhavbhedhak migraine, Apsmara epilepsy, aptantraka hysteria, vaatrakat gout, AamVaat rheumatism Pakshaghata Paralysis.
USEFUL PART: Whole plant
DOSAGE: Leaf juice 10-15 ml, Powder 2-4 g, Decoction 50-100 ml
AYURVEDIC FORMULATION
1. Reetha amla shampoo
2. Asanadi Kashaya