Vernacular names

Eng.- Maiden hair fern, Walking maiden hair fern. Hindi- Hansapadi,

Banda, Hansaraja, Samalpatti, Hansapagi, Kalijhamp, Kalijhant,

Paresiyavasan, Hanspadee. Beng.- Goyalelata, Kalijhant. Guj.- Hansapadi,

Mubarkha, Mubarkhinipalo, Hansraja. Kan.- Hamsapadi, Nayalad, Naralad.

Mar.- Ghodkhuri, Hansraj, Hansaraj, Mubarak, Kamsaraj Rajkombada,

Rajhans. Kash.- Dumtuli. Punj.- Harsraj Tel.- Nayalod, Hamsapadi.

Assam- Sharul Arj, Sharujeena, Parsiyav. Santhal- Dodhali. Porebunder.-

Hansraj, Kalohansraj. Philippines.- Culantrillo (Kirtikar and Basu, 1989;

Chopra et al., 1958, 1986; Nadkarni, 1976; Sharma, 1978; Anonymous,

2001; Singh and Chunekar, 1972; Anonymous, 2000a; Vaidya, 1985;

Anonymous, 1985).

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

A graceful fern, stipes 6-15 cm. long, tufted, wiry glabrous, polished, dark chest nut - brown; fronds 15-30 cm. long, simply pinnate, often elongated and rooting at the apex, pinnae sub-dimidate. Sori are in continuous line

along the edge (Anonymous, 1985; Kirtikar and Basu, 1989; Chatterjee and

Pakrashi, 1994; Bhattacharjee, 1998).

96

HAMSAPADI Adiantum lunulatum Burm.f.

97

DISTRIBUTION

Throughout greater part of India up to an altitude of 1200m on rocks and

slopes of hills in moist places (Anonymous, 1985). The plant is native to

tropics, commonly found at Mount Abu, Gwaparnath, Ajmer and Menal of

Rajasthan (Bhattacharjee, 1998), Ceylon and Burma (Kirtikar and Basu,

1989).

PART(S) USED

Whole plant, rhizome, leaf (Sharma, 1978)

ACTIONS AND USES

The whole plant is pungent and used as antidysenteric, febrifuge, (Chatterjee

and Pakrashi, 1994). It is used in blood diseases, burning sensation, epileptic

fits, dysentery, strangury and elephantiasis (Kirtikar and Basu, 1989). The

decoction of the rhizome given in throat affections and also used for febrile

conditions in children (Anonymous, 1985). Fruits and leaves are beneficial in

leprosy, fever and erysipelas (Chopra et al., 1958; Nadkarni, 1976).

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES

Rasa - Kashaya, Tikta (Sharma, 1978; B.N., 1982) Madhura (S.S.Su.46.274;

C.S.Su.27.102-103).

Guna - Guru, Sheeta, Ruksha (S.S.Su.46.274).

Vipaka - Madhura (C.S.Su.27.102-103).

Veerya - Sheeta (C.S.Su.27.102-103).

Doshghanata - Kaphapittashamaka (S.S.Su.46.274; C.S.Su.27.102-103)

(Sharma, 1978; B.N., 1982).

Karma - External - Dahaprashamana, Vishaghna, Vranaropana.

Internal - Stambhana, Ashmaribhedana, Mootrala, Raktapittashamaka,

Kantheya, Kasahara, Kaphaghna, Swarahara (Sharma, 1978; B.N., 1982).

Rogaghnata - External - Visarpa, Visha (C.S.Ci.23.219), Vrana.

Internal -Swarbheda, Pratishyaya, Kasa, Shwasa (A.H.Su.15.9-10;.Ci.5.38;

S.S.Su.38.4) Mootrakrichchhra, Atisara (S.S.Ci.18.47); Galaganda

(A.H.U.22.68), Raktapitta, Vatarakta (C.S.Ci. 29.91; A.H.Ci.22.42.),

Apasmara, Visarpa, (S.S.Su.38.4); Shotha, Gulma (A.H..Su.15.9-10), Daha

jwara (A.H.Ci.5.38; 22.42) (Sharma, 1978; B.N., 1982).

Doses: Juice-10-20 ml; Powder 1-3 gm.; Decoction 50 - 100ml (Sharma,

1978B.N,1982).

98

PHARMACOGNOSY

Macroscopic

Root - Very thin, fibrous, about 10-15 cm long, reddish black in colour, soft and branched.

Microscopic

Transverse section of mature root shows single layered epidermis consisting

of thin walled, small and irregular cells, followed by 3-4 layers of large thick

walled, polygonal, parenchymatous cells of cortex; endodermis single layered

composed of square or somewhat rounded cells; pericycle single layered

composed of square shaped sclerenchymatous thick and dark reddish-brown

wall; pericycle encloses a diarch stele with a few elements of xylem and

phloem (Anonymous, 2001).

Macroscopic

Rhizome - Long, up to 2 mm thick, glabrous, prostrate or erect, dark reddish-brown or black in colour.

Microscopic

Mature rhizome consists of thick-walled, rectangular, small cells of

epidermis, followed by 3-4 layers of sclerenchymatous cells of hypodermis,

composed of thick-walled cells; cortex wide, made up of thin - walled,

rounded or oval shaped parenchymatous cells, enclosing an amphiphloic

siphonostele; endodermis present; vascular bundle with xylem consisting

protoxylem towards both ends and metaxylem in the centre; phloem

surrounds the xylem externally and also internally; tracheids with scalariform

to reticulate thickening; a central pith consists of thick walled cells, fibres and

is sclerenchymatous (Anonymous, 2001).

Frond - Rachis shiny black, simple pinnate, pinna roughly lunulate, subdimidiate, lower edge nearly in line and oblique with its black shiny

petiole, upper edge bluntly rounded and more or less lobed, a few sori in a

continuous line on the under surface along the edge, with a false indusium.

Transverse section of petiole shows concave-convex outline; epidermis single

layered; hypodermis consists of 2 or 3 layers, lignified, thick walled,

sclerenchymatous cells; ground tissue composed of oval to polygonal, thin

walled parenchymatous cells; stele single, slightly triangular in shape, located

centrally and surrounded by pericycle and endodermis (Anonymous, 2001).

Pinnule - Shows single layered epidermis on either surface; mesophyll round

to oval in shape and not differentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma;

a few stomata present only on lower surface and a few sori also present

(Anonymous, 2001).

99

Powder microscopy

Whole plant powder dark reddish-brown in colour; shows dark reddish-

brown pieces of sclerenchymatous cells and light coloured crushed cells of

cortex, a few tracheids having reticulate thickening, fibres and a few spores

(Anonymous, 2001). Physical constants

Total Ash - Not more than 16%; Acid insoluble Ash - Not more than 11%, Alcohol soluble extractive - Not less than 3 %; Water soluble extractive -

Not less than 5% (Anonymous, 2001).

Thin Layer Chromatography

TLC of the alcoholic extract on silica gel „G‟ plate using n-Butanol: Acetic acid: water (4:1:5) shows under UV (366 nm) two fluorescent zones at Rf.

0.80 and 0.96 (both blue). On exposure to lodine vapour three spots appear at

Rf. 0.19, 0.30 and 0.80 (all yellow). On spraying with 5% methanolic-

sulphuric acid reagent and heating the plate for about ten minutes at 110C

three spots appear at Rf: 0.19, 0.30 and 0.80 (all yellowish - brown)

(Anonymous, 2001)

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

Plant: Chlorophyll degradation products, carotenoids (Bohara et al., 1979),

22,29-epoxy-30-norhopane-13-ol, fern-9 (11)-en-6-ol, fern-9(11)-ene,

fern-9(11)-en-25-oic acid, fern-9(11)-en-28-ol, filicenol-B, adiantone and

oxidation product of fern-9(11)-en-6-ol obtained as 6-oxofern-9(11)-ene

(Reddy et al., 2001), 3-acetoxy-6-hydroxy-hop-15,17(21)-diene

(Mukherjee et al., 2003), flavonoids (Agrawal et al., 1989).

PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES

Plant was reported for antidysentric, ulcer healing, antidiarrhoeal, antifungal

(Rai, 1988), hypotensive (Sharma et al., 1978), antibacterial (Reddy et al.,

2001) and abortificient (Hosagoudar and Henry, 1993) activities. Plant was

also reported for its contaceptive properties by Kumar (1998).

TOXICOLOGY

LD₅₀ of ethanolic extract was found to be >500 mg/kg bw i.p. in rats (Sharma

et al., 1978).

FORMULATIONS AND PREPARATIONS Taila - Madhuyastyadi taila.

Vati and Gutika - Manasamitra vataka.

100

Rasayoga - Muktapanchamrita rasa, Svarnabhupati rasa, Kalakuta rasa

(Anonymous, 1978; 2000).

TRADE AND COMMERCE

Retail Market Price - in the year 2006 was Rs.160/kg.

SUBSTITUTES AND ADULTERANTS

Adiantum capillusveneris Linn., A aethiopium Linn., A. pedatum Linn. and A.

venustum G. Don. are used as substitute (Chauhan, 1999; Garg, 1992).

PROPAGATION AND CULTIVATION

Grows wild in moist places and under shade near swamps (Guha Bakshi et al.

1999).

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104

HAPUSHA

BOTANICAL NAME: Juniperus communis Linn.

FAMILY: Cupressaceae

CLASSICAL NAMES

Hapusha, Havusa, Vigandhika (C.S.; S.S.; A.H.)

SYNONYMS

Aparajita, Ashvathaphala, Atigandhika, Dhamkshnashini, Habusha,

Kanchhughni, Kaphaghni, Matsyagandha, Plihahantri, Pleehashatru,

Svalpaphala, Vipusha, Vishaghni, Visra, Visragandha (Sharma, 1978;

D.N., 1982; B.N., 1982; R.N., 1982).