KARAVIRA (Root)
Karavira consists of dried root of Nerium indicum Mill, Syn. N. odorum Soland (Fam. Apocynaceae); a large glabrous, evergreen, woody shrub with milky juice, found throughout the year in upper Gangetic plains, Himalayas from Nepal to Kashmir upto 2000 m; also cultivated near the temples and gardens.
SYNONYMS –
Sansk. : Divyapushpa, satakumbha, Asvamaraka, Hayamara.
Assam. : Diflee, Sammulhimar
Beng. : Karbbe, Karbee
Eng. : Sweet-Scented Oleander
Guj. : Kaner
Hindi. : Kaner
Kan. : Kanagilu, Kharjahar, Kanigale, Kanagile
Kash. : —
Mal. : Kanaveeram
Mar. : Kanher
Ori. : —
Punj. : Kanir
Tam. : Sevvarali, Arali
Tel. : Kastooripatte, Errugumeru
Urdu. : Kaner
DESCRIPTION –
a) Macroscopic:
Drug available in cut pieces, 0.5-2.6 cm thick, branched, cylindrical, external surface greyish with long irregular streaks caused by rupture of bark, internal surface cream coloured; fracutre, short; taste, bitter.
b) Microscopic:
Root shows cork consisting of 5-12 layered, thin-walled, rectangular, compactly arranged, parenchymatous cells, with a few outer layers occasionally exfoliated; secondary cortex consisting of 6-10 layers of oval, tangentially elongated, thinwalled, parenchymatous cells, a few thick-walled laticiferous cells present in this region; secondary phloem composed of oval to polygonal, thin-walled, parenchymatus cells; secondary xylem consisting of usual elements, having pitted vessels, fibres with pointed tips; xylem rays usually uniseriate and rarely biseriate; prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate and simple starch grains scattered in secondary cortex, secondary phloem and phloem rays; simple, oval to round, elliptical starch grains measuring 3-11 µ in dia., found-scattered in cortical cells, phloem and xylem rays.
Powder – Greyish-brown; shows thin-walled, parenchymatous cells, fragments of cork cells, pitted xylem fibres and vessels, a few prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate, simple, round to oval, elliptical starch grains measuring 3-11 µ in diameter.
CONSTITUENTS – Glycosides-Cardiac Glycosides and Resinous Matter.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION –
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kashaya
Guna : Laghu, Ruksha, Tikshna
Virya : Ushna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : sirovirecana, Cakshushya, Krimighna, sothaghna, Kandughna,Kushthhara
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Brihanmaricadya Taila, Karaviradya Taila
THERAPEUTIC USES – Vrana, Upadansa, Kushtha, Jalodara, Kandu.
DOSE – 30-125 mg. of the drug in powder form.
