LANGALI (Tuberous Root)
Langali consists of dried tuberous root of Gloriosa superba Linn. (Fam. Liliaceae) a climber with leaf tendril and large, solitary or corymbose, showy flowers with perianth segments having wavy margins, greenish at first, later becoming yellow and finally scarlet or crimson coloured, and found wild throughout the tropical regions upto 2,000 m.
SYNONYMS –
Sansk. : Kalihari, Garbhanut, Halini, Agnisikha
Assam. : —
Beng. : Bisalanguli
Eng. : Glory Lily
Guj. : Khadiyanag
Hindi. : Kalihari
Kan. : Kolikutumana Gade
Kash. : —
Mal. : Mathonni
Mar. : Karianag
Ori. : —
Punj. : Kariyari
Tam. : Kalappoi Kizhangu
Tel. : Potthidumpa
Urdu. : —
DESCRIPTION –
a) Macroscopic:
Tuberous roots thick, almost cylindrical or slightly laterally flattened, occurring in pieces of 15-30 cm long and 2.5 – 3.8 cm thick, often bifurcated with tapering ends, resembling a plough-share, one arm generally more than double the length of the other; brownish externally and yellowish internally; fracture, short; taste, acrid and bitter.
b) Microscopic:
Tuberous root shows single layered epidermis, externally cuticularised, consisting of rectangular cells, followed by ground parenchyma, with scattered small vascular bundles; parenchyma cells large, thin-walled, polygonal to circular, having conspicuous intercellular spaces, most of the cells specially of the outer layers filled with starch grains, simple, round to oblong, or polyhedral, measuring 8-33 µ in dia., showing clear hilum and concentric striations, occasionally compound with 2-3 components, measuring 24-36 µ in dia.; vascular bundles collateral, numerous, scattered throughout ground tissue, consisting of xylem and phloem; each vascular bundle enclosed by sclerenchymatous sheath, xylem composed of vessels, tracheids and parenchyma; vessels having mostly reticulate thickening, smaller ones having spiral thickening, tracheids with reticulate thickening; xylem parenchyma cells usually rectangular; phloem consisting of sieve tubes, companion cells and phloem parenchyma; phloem parenchyma cells very small and thin-walled.
Powder – Brown; shows fragments of parenchyma cells, simple starch grains, round to oblong or polyhedral measuring 8-33 µ dia. showing clear hilum and concentric striations, occasionally compound with 2-3 components, measuring 24-36 µ in dia., sclerenchymatous cells, a few xylem vessels and tracheids.
CONSTITUENTS – Alkaloids and Resins.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION –
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kashaya
Guna : Sara, Tikshna
Virya : Ushna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Kaphahara, Pittahara, Vatahara, Garbhapatana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Nirgundi Taila, Kasisadi Taila, Mahavishagarbha Taila
THERAPEUTIC USES – Kushtha, sopha, Arsa, Vrana, shula, Krimi, Bastishula, Garbha, salya, Vatavyadhi
DOSE – 125-250 mg. of purified drug.
