Plant Profiles

Maricha consists of fully mature dried fruit of Piper nigrum Linn. (Fam. Piperaceae); a climber,fruits ripen from December to March, depending upon climatic conditions; fruits harvested from December to April.

SWETACANDANA (Heart Wood)Swetacandana consists of dried heart wood of Santalum album Linn. (Fam.Santalaceae), an evergreen, semi parasitic tree, 8 to 18 m in height and 2 to 4 m in girth,widely distributed in the country, commonly found in the dry regions of peninsular Indiafrom Vindhya mountains southwards, especially in Karnataka and Tamilnadu; it iscultivated for…

CIRABILVA (Fruit)Cirabilva consists of dried fruit of Holoptelea integrifolia Planch. (Fam. Ulmaceae); a large, spreading, glabrous, deciduous tree, 15-18 m high, distributed throughout upto an altitude of 600 m and sometimes grown on the road side. SYNONYMS –Sansk. : PhutigandhaAssam. : —Beng. : —Eng. : —Guj. : Kanjo, Chirbil, ChirmilHindi. : Chirabil, Chiramil, PapriKan. :…

DRAKSHA (Fruit)Draksha consists of dried mature fruits of Vitis vinifera Linn. (Fam. Vitaceae); a deciduous climber, mostly cultivated for their use as dessert fruit. However, the dried fruits, known in trade as ‘Raisins’, are mostly imported into India,Nepal from the Middle East and Southern European countries. SYNONYMS –Sansk. : Mridvika, GostaniAssam. : Dakh, MunaqqaBeng. :…

KRISHNASARIVA (Root)Krishnasariva consists of dried roots of Cryptolepis buchanani Roem. & Schult. (Fam. Asclepiadaceae), a perennial, much branched climber with milky juice, found throughout the country from Western Kashmir to Assam, ascending to 1200 m in the Himalayas.     SYNONYMSSanskrit : Jambu Patra, syama, Krishnavalli, KrishnamhuliAssamese : —Bengali : Shyamalata, Krishna SaarivaaEnglish : —Gujrati…

TRIVRT (Root)Trivrt consists of dried root of Operculina turpethum (Linn.) Silva Manso Syn. Ipomoea turpethum R. Br. (Fam. Convolvulaceae); a large perennial twiner with milky juice and fleshy roots, found growing wild nearly throughout the country, ascending to 900 m, also occasionally grown in gardens; the roots being fleshy, care is taken in drying as…

Karavira (Lf.)KARAVIRAKaravira consists of dried leaves of Nerium indicum Mill. Syn. Nerium odorum Soland (Fam.Apocynaceae), a large evergreen woody shrub with milky Juice, found throughout the year in upper Gangetic plains, Himalayas, from Nepal to Kashmir upto 2000 m. Central and Southern India, also cultivated near temples and gardens. SYNONYMSSanskrit : Hayamiraka, Harapriya, Asvamira.Assamese :…

Haridra (Rz.)HARIDRAHaridri consists of the dried and cured rhizomes of Curcuma longa Linn. (Fam. Zingiberaceae), a perennial herb extensively cultivated in all parts of the country, crop is harvested after 9-10 months when lower leaves turn yellow rhizomes carefully dug up with hand-picks between October-April and cured by boiling and dried. SYNONYMSSanskrit : Rajani, Nisi,…

Arka (Rt.) ARKA (Root) Arka consists of dried roots of Calotropis procera (Ait.) R. Br. (Fam. Asclepiadaceae). SYNONYMS Sanskrit : Ravi, Bhinu, Tapana Assamese : Akand, Akan Bengali : Akanda, Akone English : Madar Tree Gujrati : Aakado Hindi : Aak, Madar, Akavana Kannada : Ekka, Ekkadagida, Ekkegida Kashmiri : Acka Malayalam : Erikku Marathi…