HAPUSHA (Fruit)
Hapusha consists of dried fruit of Juniperus communis Linn (Fam. Cupressaceae); a dense, more or less procumbent shrub, rarely a small tree, found in the Himalayas from Kumaon westwards at an altitude of 1500-4250 m.
Hapusha consists of dried fruit of Juniperus communis Linn (Fam. Cupressaceae); a dense, more or less procumbent shrub, rarely a small tree, found in the Himalayas from Kumaon westwards at an altitude of 1500-4250 m.
SYNONYMS –
Sansk. : Havusha, Matsyagandha
Assam. : Arar, Abahal, Habbul
Beng. : Hayusha
Eng. : Juniper Berry, Common Juniper
Guj. : Palash
Hindi. : Havuber, Havubair
Kan. : Padma Beeja
Kash. : —
Mal. : —
Mar. : Hosh
Ori. : —
Punj. : Havulber
Tam. : —
Tel. : Hapusha
Urdu. : Abhal, Aarar
Sansk. : Havusha, Matsyagandha
Assam. : Arar, Abahal, Habbul
Beng. : Hayusha
Eng. : Juniper Berry, Common Juniper
Guj. : Palash
Hindi. : Havuber, Havubair
Kan. : Padma Beeja
Kash. : —
Mal. : —
Mar. : Hosh
Ori. : —
Punj. : Havulber
Tam. : —
Tel. : Hapusha
Urdu. : Abhal, Aarar
DESCRIPTION –
a) Macroscopic:
Fruit sub-spherical, berry like, purplish-black, occasionally showing a ‘bloom’, about 0.5-1.0 cm in dia., apex shows triradiate mark and.depression indicating the suture of three fleshy-bracts; at the base are six, small, pointed, bracts arranged in 2 whorls, but occasionally 3 or 4 whorls present; three hard, triangular seeds are embedded in the fleshy mesocarp, each with a woody testa bearing large partly sunk oily glands; odour terebinthine and taste bitter.
Fruit sub-spherical, berry like, purplish-black, occasionally showing a ‘bloom’, about 0.5-1.0 cm in dia., apex shows triradiate mark and.depression indicating the suture of three fleshy-bracts; at the base are six, small, pointed, bracts arranged in 2 whorls, but occasionally 3 or 4 whorls present; three hard, triangular seeds are embedded in the fleshy mesocarp, each with a woody testa bearing large partly sunk oily glands; odour terebinthine and taste bitter.
b) Microscopic:
Outer layer of fruit shows 3-4, large, cubic or tabular cells having thick, brown porous walls externally covered by single layered, colourless cuticle; sarcocarp consists of large, elliptical, thin-walled, loosely coherent cells, containing drops of essential oil and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate; oval to elongated, elliptical, triangular or irregular shaped cells abundant in this region; seed coat shows 2 or 3 layers of tabular, thin-walled cells covered externally by a thin cuticle and followed internally by a wide zone of thick-walled polygonal sclerenchymatous cells; endosperm and embryo not distinct.
Powder – Brown; shows oval to elongated, elliptical and irregular shaped, thick-walled stone cells; rectangular to hexagonal, straight, thick walled epidermal cells in surface view; prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate and oil globules.
Outer layer of fruit shows 3-4, large, cubic or tabular cells having thick, brown porous walls externally covered by single layered, colourless cuticle; sarcocarp consists of large, elliptical, thin-walled, loosely coherent cells, containing drops of essential oil and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate; oval to elongated, elliptical, triangular or irregular shaped cells abundant in this region; seed coat shows 2 or 3 layers of tabular, thin-walled cells covered externally by a thin cuticle and followed internally by a wide zone of thick-walled polygonal sclerenchymatous cells; endosperm and embryo not distinct.
Powder – Brown; shows oval to elongated, elliptical and irregular shaped, thick-walled stone cells; rectangular to hexagonal, straight, thick walled epidermal cells in surface view; prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate and oil globules.
CONSTITUENTS – Essential Oil and Flavonoids.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION –
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kashaya
Guna : Guru, Mridu
Virya : Ushna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Kaphanasaka, Vishaghna, Agnidipaka, Vatanasaka
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kashaya
Guna : Guru, Mridu
Virya : Ushna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Kaphanasaka, Vishaghna, Agnidipaka, Vatanasaka
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Kumaryasava, Saptavinsitika Guggulu, Dadhika Ghrita, Narayana Churna, Trayodashanga, Guggulu, Pradarantaka Lauha, Nityananda Rasa
THERAPEUTIC USES – Pittodara, Arsa, Grahani, Gulma, shula, Krimi, Vatodara, Pliharoga
DOSE – 2-6 g. in powder form.
