Talmakhana
BOTANICAL NAME: Asteracantha longifolia Nees.
FAMILY: Acanthaceae
CLASSICAL CLASSIFICATION:
Charaka samhita : Shukrashodhana
Bhavaprakash Nighantu: Guduchyadi varga
ENGLISH NAME: Hygrophila
COMMON NAME:
Hindi: Talmakhana, Kokilaskha
Bengali: Kulimakada,Kaatakalia
REFERENCE: BHAVAPRAKASH SAMHITA with link e Nighantu:
https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/e-Nighantu/bhavaprakashanighantu/?mod=read
कोकिलाक्षस्तु काकेक्षुरिक्षुरः क्षुरकः क्षुरः ।
भिक्षुः काण्डेक्षुरप्युक्त इक्षुगन्धेक्षुबालिका ॥२२४॥
क्षुरकः शीतलो वृष्यः स्वाद्वम्लः पिच्छिलस्तथा ।
तिक्तो वातामशोथाश्मतृष्णादृष्ट्यनिलास्त्रजित् ॥२२५॥
HABITAT: Found all over India near water source, fields and marshy land
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION:
It is a small plant of 3 to 5 feet height with small thorns or hairy parts all over the plant, flowers are of purple colour, seeds are black in colour and swells and becomes slimy when comes in contact with water or saliva, fruits and flowers are seen in the month of September to November.
AYURVEDIC CHARACTERISTICS:
| RASA | GUNA | VEERYA | VIPAKA | PRABHAVA | DOSHGHNTA |
| Madhura | Guru, Snigdha | Shita | Madhura | – | Vaat pitta shamak |
AYURVEDIC ENERGETICS:
| TASTE | PROPERTY | POTENCY | POST DIGESTIVE EFFECT | EFFECT ACTION | DOSHA ACTION |
| Sweet | Heaviness,
Slimy |
Cold | Sweet | – | Vata pitta
Pacifying |
MAJOR CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: Lupeol, stigmasterol, sterols
THERAPEUTIC USES:
- Joint pain: Decoction prepared from the coarse powder of Kokilaksha(talmakhana) is to be taken with suitable medicines like Kaishore guggul.
- Stones: Preparation of Kokilaksha(talmakhana) (it’s kshara) is found to be effective in dissolving gall stones.
- General debility: Its powder is administered with luke warm milk
INDICATIONS: Vatajroga Vata disorders , Amavata Rheumatoid arthritis , Ashmari renal calculi, Trishna Excessive thirst , Shotha Inflammation , Vatarakta Gout.
USEFUL PART: Root, Seeds
DOSAGE: 5-10ml (Kwath), 3 to 6 gm (Churna)
AYURVEDIC FORMULATION:
Panaviraladi Bhasma (Kshara)