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, Gostani
Assam. : Dakh, Munaqqa
Beng. : Maneka
Eng. : Dry Grapes, Raisins
Guj. : Drakh, Darakh
Hindi. : Munkka
Kan. : Draksha
Kash. : —
Mal. : Munthringya
Mar. : Draksha, Angur
Ori. : Drakya, Gostoni
Punj. : Munaca
Tam. : Drakshai, Kottai Drakshai
Tel. : Draksha Kottai, Drakshai
Urdu. : Munaqqa
DESCRIPTION –
a) Macroscopic:
Fruit a berry, sticky and pulpy, dark brown to black; oblong or oval, sometimes spherical; 1.5 -2.5 cm long and 0.5-1.5 cm wide; outer skin irregularly wrinkled forming ridges and furrows; usually contain 1-4 seeds, 4-7 mm long, ovoid rounded to triangular or simply ovoid, brown to black; odour, sweetish and pleasant; taste, sweet.
b) Microscopic:
A single layered epidermis cells filled with reddish-brown contents; mesocarp pulpy, made up of thin-walled, irregular cells containing prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate, measuring 13.75 -41 µ in dia.; some fibro-vascular bundles also present in this region; seeds composed of testa and endosperm; testa composed of thick-walled yellowish cells; endosperm composed of angular parenchymatous cells containing oil globules and cluster crystals of calcium oxalate, measuring 11-16 µ in diameter.
CONSTITUENTS – Malic, Tartaric & Oxalic Acids, Carbohydrates and Tannins.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION –
Rasa : Madhura, Kashaya
Guna : Guru, Sara, Snigdha
Virya : sita
Vipaka : Madhura
Karma : Cakshushya, Vrishya, BriNhana, Vatapittahara, Svarya
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Drakshasava, Draksharishta, Drakshavaleha, Drakshadi Kvatha Churna, Drakshadi Churna, Eladi Gutika
THERAPEUTIC USES – Trishna, Jvara, Kasa, Swasha, Daha, sosha, Kamala, Raktapitta, Kshata Kshina, Vibandha, Arsa, Agnimandya, Madatyaya, Pandu, Udavarta, Ashya sosha, Vatarakta
DOSE – 5-10 g. of the drug.
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