PATHA(Root)
Pihi consists of roots of Cissampelos pareira Linn. (Fam. Menisperrnaceae), an extensively spreading, glabrous to softy pubescent, perennial climbing shrub with nodose stem, common in warm and dry regions of tropical and sub-tropical parts of India upto an altitude of about 1500 m.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Ambashhtaki
Assamese : Tuprilata
Bengali : Akanadi,Patha
English : Velvet leaf
Gujrati : Kalipath, Karondhium, Karondium, Karedhium
Hindi : Patha, Padh, Akanadi
Kannada : Pahadavela, Agalushunthi
Kashmiri : Pad
Malayalam : Patha
Marathi : Pashadvel, Paharrel, Pahadavel, Padali
Oriya : Kanabindhi, Patha
Punjabi : Patha
Tamil : Vatta tiruppi
Telugu : Adivibankatiga, chiru boddi, Boddi tiga
Urdu : —
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Roots, cylindrical, often tortuous, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, light brown to yellowish in colour, surface rough and at places rugged due to transverse wrinkles, cracks and fissures, fracture short and splintery, odour, faint aromatic, taste, bitter.
b) Microscopic
Transvarse section of root shows, 6-10 layers of thin-walled, rectangular cork cells secondary cortex, 1-3 layered of oval to tangentially elongated cells, discontinuous ring consisting of 2-3 rows of stone cells and group of phloem fibres, stone cells variable in shape with simple pits, vascular strands as radiating strips usually 8-12 of xylem and phloem some reaching up to the centre, phloem consists of small strands of sieve elements and parenchyma just below the ring of stone cells, xylem consists of vessels, tracheids, fibres and xylem parenchyma, vessels and tracheids show simple pits on the walls, xylem parenchyma usually thick-walled and lignified but due to delignification patches of thin-walled parenchyma appear in the xylem region., medullary rays 1-3 seriate appear to be very wide at a number of places due to addition of delignified xylem parenchymatous cells, ray cells thin-walled, a few lignified and thick-walled while some show reticulate thickening, plenty of starch grains present in some of ray cells.
CONSTITUENTS – Alkaloids, saponin and quarternary ammonium bases, flavonol and sterol.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Katu, Tikta
Guna : Laghu, Tikshna
Virya : Ushna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Bhagnasandhinakrit, Grihi, Raktasodhaka, Vishaghna, Tridoshasamana, Stanyasodhana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Brihatgangidhara Churna, Pushyinuga Churna,Pradarintaka Lauha, Sirasvata Ghrita, Stanyasodhana Kashiya Churna
THERAPEUTIC USES – shularoga, Atisira, Chhardi(vomiting), Jvara, Kandhu(Itching) Kushtha, Stanyadushti
DOSE – 3-6 g of the drug in powder form.
