Medicinal Plants No 46

polystachya (Wall.) Parker (Amoora rohituka (Roxb.) Wight & Arn.) Meliaceae (निम्ब-कुलम्) )

Eng : Rohituka tree Hin : Harin-hára afa-ERT Kan : Mullumuntala (wwer duose) Mal : Cemmaram (2000.) San: Röhitakah :) Tam: Malampuluvan, Semmaram (LDOULD Y6ucir, OFLOLITUD) Tel : Sēvamănu (3505)

Distribution : Throughout India, in evergreen forests The plant: A medium to large sized tree, 18–25 m in height with a

cylindrical bole and a heavy crown, bark greyish brown to dark brown, rough, exfoliating in circular flakes, wood reddish brown, leaves large, imparipinnate, leaflets opposite, 9-17 in number, elliptic-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous on both surfaces; male flowers numerous in axillary panicles, female or bisexual flowers larger than male in axillary or supra-axillary solitar spikes; fruits globular, smooth, yellow when ripe, opening by

3-valved; seeds with scarlet aril. Parts used : bark, seeds Properties and uses: The bark is acrid, astringent, bitter, vulnerary,

digestive, anthelmintic, depurative, urinary astringent, ophthalmic and refrigerant. It is useful in splenomegaly, liver disorders, tumour, ulcer, dyspepsia, intestinal worms, skin diseases, leprosy, ciiabetes, ophthalmopathy, jaundice, haemorrhoids, burning sensation, rheumatoid arthritis and leucorrhoea. The seeds are acrid, refrigerant, laxative, anodyne and anthelmintic. They are useful in ulcers, ophthalmopathy, otopathy, myalgia, skin diseases, intestinal worms, burning sensation and vitiated conditions of vāta.

'रोहीतको रोहितको रोही दाडिमपुष्पकः ("Rõhitako rohitako rõhi dādimapuşpakaḥ" (Bhā.pra.)]

"रोहीतको रोहितकश्चय रोहितः कुशाल्मलिर्दाडिमपुष्पसंज्ञकः :सदाप्रसूनः स च कूटशाल्मलिविरोचनः शाल्मलिको नवाह्वयः ।। सप्ताह्वः श्वेतरोहितः सितपुष्पः सिताह्वयः शिताङ्गः शुक्ळरोहितो लक्ष्मीवान् जनवल्लभः ॥ (रा.नि.) ("Rohitako rõhitakaśca rohitaḥ kusalmalidadimapuspasamiñakah Sadāprasūnaḥ sa ca kūțaśālmalirvirocanaḥ śālmaliko navāhvayaḥ Saptāhvaḥ svētarõhitaḥ sitapușpaḥ sitāhvayaḥ Sitāngaḥ śuklarohito lakṣmivān janavallabhaḥ" (Rā.ni.)] "रोहीतके रोहितको रोही दाडिमपुष्पकः । कुशाल्मलिः शाल्मलिको रोचनः कूटशाल्मलिः ।। रक्तपुष्पः सदापुष्पो रक्तघ्नः प्ळीहनाशनः । द्वितीयः श्वेतपुष्पश्च रोही रोहितकस्तथा ॥ क्षारयोग्यो युगो योज्यो लक्ष्मी सर्वजनप्रियः । (सो.नि.) ["Rõhitakē rohitako rohi dāạimapușpakaḥ Kuśālmaliḥ sālmaliko rocanaḥ kūțaśālmáliḥ Raktapuspah sadāpuşpā raktaghnaḥ p!ihanāśanaḥ Dvitiyaḥ svētepuşpasca rõhi rõhitakastathā Ksarayogyo yugoyojyolaksmi sarvajanapriyan" (So.ni.)]

"रोहीतकः प्ळीहघाती रुच्यो रक्तप्रसादनः । (भा.प्र.) ["Rohitakah plihagnati rucyo raktaprasādanah" (Bha.pra.)]

रोहीतको यकृत्प्ळीहगुल्मोदरहरः सरः ॥ श्वेतो रोहीतकश्चान्यः कटूष्णमुभयं स्मृतम् ।। कर्णरोगहरं चैव विषवेगविनाशनम् । " (ध.नि.) ("Rõhitako yakrtpļíhagulmõdaraharaḥ saraḥ Svēto rõhitakaścänyaḥ kațūşnamubhayam smrtam Karnarogaharam caiva visavegavinasanam" (Dha.ni.)]

रोहीतकः कटुस्तिक्तः सरोष्णः कफवातनुत् । प्ळीहोदरयकृद्गुल्ममांसमेदोविषापहः || भूतानाहविबन्धाम्रकफशूलरुजापहः || (प्ळीहानां नाशयेद्रोही स्तन्यो रक्तप्रसादनः ।। कर्णकाख्यामयं हन्यात् सर्वव्रणनिषूदनः ।)” (कै.नि.) ("Rõhitakaḥ katustiktaḥ saroşnaḥ kaphavātanut Pļihodarayakrdgulmamamsamedovişāpahaḥ Bhūtānāhavibandhāsșakaphaśūlarujāpahan (Plíhānām nāśayēdrõhi stanyō raktaprasādanaḥ Karnakākhyamayam hanyat sarvavrananisudanah") (Kai.ni.)]"रोहीतकद्वयं स्निग्धं तुवरं कटुकं मतम् । रक्तप्रसादनं तिक्तं शीतळं च सरं मतम् ।। कृमिप्ळीहरक्तदोषव्रणकर्णरुजापहम् । विषं नेत्ररुजं गुल्मयकृत्कफविनाशनम् ॥ वातं विबन्धं मांसं च मेदं शूलं च नाशयेत् । आनाहं भूतबाधा च नाशयेदिति कीर्त्तितम् ॥ (नि.र.) ["Rõhitakadvayam snigdham tuvaram kațukam matam Raktaprasādanam tiktam sita!am ca saram matam Krmipliharaktadosavranakarnarujāpaham Visam netrarujam gulmayakrtkaphavināśanam Vātam vibandham māmsam ca mēdam śūlam ca nāśayet Anäham bhūtabädhä сa nāśayēditi kirttitam" (Ni.ra.)]

रोहीतकौ कटुस्निग्धौ कषायौ च सुशीतळौ । कृमिदोषव्रणप्ळीहरक्तनेत्रामयापही ॥ (रा.नि.) ["Rõhitakau katusnigdhau kaşāyau ca susitalau Krmidosavranapliharaktantramayapahau" (Rani.)]

"रोहीतकः सरो गुल्मयकृत्प्ळीहोदरापहः । (म.वि.) ["Rohitakah saro gulmayakrtplihodarapahah" (Ma.vi.)]

रोहीतको यकृत्प्ळीहगुल्मोदरहरः परम् । " (सो.नि.) ["Rohitako yakrtplihagulmodaraharah param" (So.ni.)]

Remarks: In Kerala, rohitakam is identified as Aphanamixis polystachya.

Dr. Koman (1919), however, is of the opinion that the bark of this plant does not have the effect on the spleen to the extent reported. Hence, further research is needed to confirm this identity.

In north India it is the bark of Tecoma undulata which is used for rohitaka. 'The Ayurvedic Formulary of India' says that Aphanamixis polystachya can be used as a substitute for this.

'Rajanighantu', 'Dhanvantarinighantu', and Nighanturatnakaram' describe two kinds of rõhitakam. Some identify these two as two different drugs under the botanical names Tecoma undulata and Aphanamixis polystachya (Amoora rohituka).