Medicinal Plants No 45

Anogeissus latifolia (Roxb. ex DC.) Wall. ex Guill & Perr. Combretaceae (हरीतकी-कुलम्)

Eng : Axle wood Hin : Dhavā, Dhaura, Båkali (al, eitt, alhot) Kan : Dinduge (Dodurt) Mal : Vellanava, Malukkåññiram (133MOJ, 097293 Toro 10.) San : Dhavaḥ (ta:) Tam : Ve!!anagai, Vellanamai (QOUGITT 1605, DWUOITOT GOLD) Tel. : Cerimānu, Sirikarra (38555, 3850)

Distribution : Throughout India,in deciduous forests The plant : A large deciduous tree upto 30 m in height with a clear bole of

15 m and with greenish or greyish white smooth bark exfoliating in irregular thin scales; leaves elliptic or suborbicular, obtuse at the apex, rounded or sometimes cordate at base, glabrous when fully grown, midrib prominent, pink, main nerves 6–10 pairs arching, prominent on the lower side, leaves turning red before falling; flowers sessile in small dense heads; fruits small, many in a globular head, yellowish brown, winged, beaked with the persistent calyx

enclosing a single seed. Parts used : roots, bark, leaves, fruits Properties and uses : The roots are astringent, acrid, thermogenic and

stomachic. They are useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and vāta, and abdominal disorders. The bark is astringent, acrid, cooling, vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, urinary astringent, haemostatic, constipating, depurative and rejuvenating. It is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and vāta, wounds and ulcers, inflammations, diabetes, haemorrhages, haemoptysis, diarrhoea, dysentery, haemorrhoids, skin diseases, leprosy, hepatopathy, erysipelas, ophthalmia and general debility. The leaf juice is good for otopyorrhea. The fruits are acrid, astringent, sweet, cooling and constipating. They are useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and pitta, diarrhoea and dysentery.

"धव इति शकटाक्षः स्यात् कषायमधुरच्छदो गौरः ।श्वेतफलः सितवृक्षः पर्यायैः पाण्डुरश्चेति ॥ (अ.म.) ["Dhava iti sakațākṣaḥ syāt kaṣāyamadhuracchado gauraḥ Svetaphalah sitavrksah paryayaih pandurasceti" (A.ma.)]

"धवो धटो नन्दतरुः स्थिरो गौरो धुरन्धर : । (भा.प्र.) ["Dhavo dhato nandataruh sthiro gauro dhurandharab" (Bha.pra.)]

'धवो दृढतरुौरः कषायो मधुरत्वचः । शुक्ळवृक्षः पाण्डुतरुर्धवळः पाण्डुरो नव । (रा.नि.) ["Dhavo drdhatarugauraḥ kaşayo madhuratvacaḥ Suklavrksah pandutarurdhavalah panduro nava" (Ra.ni.)]

"धवः शीतः प्रमेहार्शःपाण्डुपित्तकफापहः । मधुरस्तुवरस्तस्य फलं च मधुरं मनाक् ॥ (भा.प्र.) ["Dhavaḥ śītaḥ pramēhāṛśaḥpāņdupittakaphāpahaḥ Madhurastuvarastasya phalam ca madhuram manak" (Bha.pra.)]

धवस्तु तुवरः शीतो मधुरः कटुको मतः । दीपनो रुचिकृत् चैव पाण्डुरोगप्रमेहजित् ।। कफपित्तर्शवातानां नाशकः परिकीर्तितः ।। फलं चास्य हिमं स्वादु रूक्षं च तुवरं मतम् ॥ मलस्तम्भकरं चैव वातळं कफपित्तजित् । मूलं कटुकषायं च पित्तकृद्दीपनं परम् ॥ (नि.र.) ["Dhavastu tuvaraḥ śito madhuraḥ kațuko mataḥ Dīpano rucikệt caiva pāņdurogapramēhajit Kaphapittārsavātānām nāśakaḥ parikirttitaḥ Phalam cāsya himam svādu rūkşam ca tuvaram matam Malastambhakaram caiva vātalam kaphapittajit Mulam katukasayam ca pittakrddipanam param" (Ni.ra.)]

सुरासवोपयोगी च कषायमधुरो हिमः । पाण्डुमेहप्रशमनः कफपित्तहरो धवः ॥ (म.नि.) ("Surāsavāpayogi ca kaşāyamadhurõ himaḥ Pandumēhaprasamanan kaphapittaharö dhavah" (Ma.ni.)]

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धवः कषायः कटुकः कफघ्नो निलनाशनः | पित्तप्रकोपणा रुच्यो विज्ञेयो दीपनः परः ।। (रा.नि.) ("Dhavaḥ kaşāyaḥ kațukah kaphaghnöſnilanāśanah Pittaprakāpano rucyovijffeyodipanah paran" (Ra.ni.)]'धवस्तु तुवरः शीतो मधुरो मेहपाण्डुहा । कफपित्तहरं, तस्य फलं स्वादु कषायकम् ॥ हिमं रूक्षं गुरु स्तम्भी वातळं कफपित्तजित् ” (कै. नि.) ["Dhavastu tuvaraḥ sito madhuro mēhapānduha Kaphapittaharam, tasya phalam svādu kaşāyakam Himam ruksam guru stambhi vatalam kaphapittajit" (Kai.ni.)]