Vernacular names

Eng.- Elephant foot yam, Elephant foot. Hindi- Ol, Madana masta, Kanda, Jimikand, Suran, Zamikand, Suranakanda, Zamilkanda. Beng.- Ol, Ole, Ol

kachu. Guj.- Suran, Sooran Kan.- Suvarna-gedda, Suvarna (or Churna),

Gadda, Suranagadde. Mal.- Chena, Kachul, Karanai, Kilangu, Shaenai,

Kizhangu, Cena, Kattachena, Kattuchenai, Cena-karana, Mulen- shena.

Mar.- Suran, Goda Suran. Punj.- Gimikanda, Zamin Kanda. Tam.-

Karunakkalang, Karunalkkilhangu, Chena, Kachul karanai, Kilangu,

Shaenai-kizangu, Karunai- kizangu, Dardakandagadda, Gemikandi,

karakkaranai, Kanda. Tel.- Ghemikanda, Godda, Manchikanda, Potikanda,

Manshi-kanda - guddae, Potigunda, Theeyakanda, Manashi-kanda,

Potigunda, Mancai Kandagodela, Kanda, Duradagadda. Arab.-

Kandagadda. Assam- Ol. Oriya- Farasi, Olna, Simba, Olookanda, Ola,

Olua, Suran. Pers.- Olna, Simba, Olooakanda, Suran. Urdu- Zaminkand,

Zamin-qund, Zamikand. Konkani.- Shotri, Suran, Luttiexhadd, Suma.

Sinhalese.- Kidaran (Nadkarni, 1976, Kirtikar and Basu, 1989; Anonymous,

2001; Anonymous, 2000a; Anonymous, 1985; Anonymous, 1994; B.N.,

1982; Sharma, 1978).

399

SURANA Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicols var.

campanulatus (Decne.) Sivadasana

400

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Perennial, terrestrial tuberous herb, tuber depressed-globose, 20-25 cm in

diameter, bulbiferous and dark brown, pale dull brown inside or almost white

with numerous long terete roots. Leaves solitary, appearing long after the

flowers, 30-90 cm broad, segments spreading, simple or forked, petiole 60-90

cm long, stout, warted, dark green with paler blotches, leaf-lets 60-150 cm

long, of variable width, obovate or oblong, acute, strongly many veined with

green edges. Flowers monoecious, spathe campanulate, strongly closely

veined with recurved, undulate, crisped margins, greenish- pink externally

with pale ocellated blotches. Spadix as long as the spathe, dark red, purple,

spongy within. Berries clustered, red, 2-3 seeded, obovoid, 8-12 mm long.

Flowering and Fruiting : April - May (Cooke, 1967; Yoganarsimhan, 1996;

Anonymous, 1985; Anonymous, 1996; Mooss, 1978).

DISTRIBUTION

Cultivated largely throughout the plains of India and also found wild from

Punjab to West Bengal, Assam, Konkan, Deccan, Rampa hills (Anonymous,

1985; Hooker, 1973). Also cultivated in Sri Lanka (Kirtikar and Basu, 1989).

PART(S) USED

Corm/tuber and root, seed, petiole (Sharma, 1978; B.N., 1982).

ACTIONS AND USES

Corm is acrid, pungent, antiasthmatic, antidysenteric, antiemetic,

carminative, expectorant, restorative, stomachic and tonic. It is used in piles,

dysentery, acute rheumatism (Chopra et al., 1958), dyspepsia, enlargement of

spleen, elephantiasis, haemorrhoids, abdominal pain and tumours. Seeds are

used locally in rheumatic swellings while fermented juice of petiole in

diarrhoea (Chatterjee and Pakrashi, 2001). It is beneficial for bronchitis,

vomitting and blood diseases (Kirtikar and Basu, 1989). Root is

emmenagogue and beneficial in boils and ophthalmia (Nadkarni, 1976).

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES

Rasa - Katu, Kashaya.

Guna - Ruksha, Tikshna, Guru (S.S.Su.46.306),

(A.H.Su.6.113).

Vipaka - Katu.

Veerya - Ushna.

Prabhava - Arshaghana. (Sharma, 1978; B.N., 1982),

401

Vishada,

Laghu

Doshaghnata -Kapha Vata shamaka (Sharma, 1978; B.N., 1982), Kapha

Vata kara, Pitta hara. (S.S.Su.46.306), Kaphaghna (A.H.Su.6.113).

Karma - External - Shothhara, Vedanasthapana.

Internal- Arshaghna (S.S.Su.46.307; A.H.Su.6.113), Vatahara, Kaphahara,

Gudakilahrit, Raktapittakara, Dadrukara, Kushtahara, Ruchivardhaka,

Deepana, Pachana (A.H.Su.6.113), Yarkrit-Uttejaka, Shool prasamana,

Krimighna, Vrishya, Artavarjnana, Balya and Rasayana. In higher doses

produce Vishtambha action (Sharma, 1978; B.N., 1982).

Rogaghnata - External- applied as paste with ghrita and honey in

Sandhishotha, Shlipada, Arbuda.

Internal- Arsha (S.S.Su.46.307; A.H.Su.6.113; Ci.8.34.156), Pleehagulma,

Shwasa, Kasa, Ashthilashoth, Sandhishotha, Arbuda, Sleepada, Aruchi,

Agnimandya, Vibandha, Udarshoola, Gulma, Krimi, Rajorodha,

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

Contraindication - Raktapitta.

Dose - Powder 3-6 gm. (Sharma, 1978; B.N., 1982).

SIDDHA PROPERTIES

Siddha Name - Karunai kilangu

Suvai (Taste) - Kaarppu( Pungent).

Veeriyam (Potency) - Seetham (Cold).

Vibakam (Tansformation) - Kaarppu( Pungent).

Gunam (Pharmacological action) - Thuvarppi (Astringent), Ul azhal atrri

(Demulcent).

Siddha pharmaceutical preparations - Karunai kilangu lehyam.

Uses - Used in treatment of Ano rectal abscess Hemorrhoids.

PHARMACOGNOSY

Macroscopic

Corm - Occurs as cut pieces of different size and shape; external surface of

cork blackish-brown, rough due to numerous scars and few adventitious

roots, internal portion creamish white; fracture short; taste acrid.

Microscopic

Transverse section of corm shows a wide zone of cork consisting of 5-25

tangentially elongated, rectangular, thin-walled cells, a few inner layers

containing rosette crystals of calcium oxalate and plenty of simple and

compound starch grains; ground tissue very wide consisting of thin-walled,

parenchymatous cells; a few cells containing both rosette and acicular

crystals of calcium oxalate; starch grains both simple and compound,

spherical in shape, compound grains consisting of 2-4 components,

402

measuring 3-31 in diameter; vascular bundles are poorly developed,

scattered in ground tissue; vessels are arranged in groups of 2-3, having spiral

thickenings; a few parenchyma cells of ground tissue are containing

yellowish cell contents (Anonymous, 2001).

Powder microscopy

Corm powder creamish-grey in colour; shows abundant simple and

compound starch grains measuring 3-31 in diameter, fragments of cork

cells, a few rosette and acicular crystals of calcium oxalate and groups of thin-walled parenchymatous cells, bits of vessels bearing spiral thickening

(Anonymous, 2001). Physical constants

Total Ash - Not more than 8%; Acid insoluble ash - Not more than 2%; Alcohol soluble extractive -Not less than 3%; Water soluble extractive - Not

less than 9% (Anonymous, 2001).

Thin Layer Chromatography

TLC of the alcoholic extract on silica gel „G‟ plate using Benzene: Ethylacetate (9:1). On exposure to Iodine vapour shows four spots at Rf.

0.09, 0.66, 0.74 and 0.85 (all yellow). On spraying with 5% Methanolic -

phosphomolybdic acid and heating the plate at 105C for ten minutes four

spots appear at Rf. 0.09, 0.66, 0.74 and 0.85 (all grey) (Anonymous, 2001).

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

Plant:-Sitosterol, palmitate of-sitosterol, stigmasterol, betulinic acid,

lupeol, triacontane, glucose, galactose, rhamnose, xylose (Chawla and

Chibber, 1976), tyrosinase enzyme (Tembe et al., 2006).

Corms: Protein, fat, carbohydrates, starch, oxalic acid, riboflavin, niacin,

phytin, minerals, calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamine, carotene, vitamin A,

lupeole, palmitate (Gopalan et al., 1971; Singh, 1972-73), isoleucine, lysine,

phenylalanine, valine, amino acids, arginine, histidine, leucine, methionine,

threonine, tryptophan (Ramachandran and Phansalkar, 1956).

Stem and Leaves: Calcium oxalate (Singh, 1972-73).

PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES

Plant was reported to have analgesic (Shilpi et al., 2005), uterotonic

(Bhatnagar et al., 1961) and lypolytic (Prema et al., 1978) activities.

TOXICOLOGY

403

Methanolic extract 250 mg/kg bw bw was tolerated in mice. The LD₅₀ of the

ethanolic extract was reported to be > 1000 mg/kg bw i.p. in mice (Aswal et

al., 1984).

FORMULATIONS AND PREPARATIONS

Avaleha and Paka - Sri Bahusala guda.

Churna - Samudradya churna.

Vatika - Suranvatika.

Bhasma - Tamra Bhasma.

Loha - Suranava loha, Suran modaka (Anonymous, 1978; 2000).

TRADE AND COMMERCE

Retail market price Rs. 16-20 per kg (2006).

SUBSTITUTES AND ADULTERANTS

Amorphophallus campanulatus var. Blumei Prain, A. commutatus Linn. are

used as substitute (Anonymous, 2000a).

PROPAGATION AND CULTIVATION

A. paenifolius grows well in loam, alluvial and black soil. Plants can be

vegetatively propagated through corms which can be planted in the prepared

pits during the month of April - May upto July. It requires frequent, uniform

irrigation, warm and humid weather during initial stages of growth. For

plantation pits of 30, 45, 60 or 120 cm deep and 30, 60 or 120 cm apart

should be prepared and filled with 5 cm thick layer of FYM at the bottom of

the pits. Crop can be harvested at different stages of development starting

from 6-7 months of plantation upto 4 years as per requirement. The crop is

cultivated as a mixed crop in the fields of banana, ginger, groundnuts

(Anonymous, 1985; Guha Bakshi et al., 1999).

REFERENCES

Anonymous (1978), The Ayurvedic Formulary of India, 1^st ed. Ministry of Health and

Family Welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi, Part - I.

Anonymous (1985), The Wealth of India, Raw material, revised edition, Publication and

Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi. vol. I. p. 230-235.

Anonymous (1994), Indian Medicinal Plants, ed Warrier, PK et al., Orient Longman Ltd.,

Madras. vol. 1. p.132-136.

Anonymous (1996), Flora of Maharashtra State, Monocotyledons ed. by Sharma, BD et al.,

Botanical Survey of India. p. 210.

404

Anonymous (2000), The Ayurvedic Formulary of India, 1^st English edition. Min. of Health

and Family Welfare, Dept. of ISM and H., Gov of India, Part-II.

Anonymous (2000a), The Useful Plants of India, Reprinted edition, National Institute of

Science Communication, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research,New Delhi. p. 36.

Anonymous (2001), The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, 1^st Edition Min. of Health and

Family Welfare, Department of ISM and H, Govt. of India, New Delhi. Part I. vol. III. p.

205-206.

Astanga Hridayam, English Translation by Srikanthamurthy KR (1999), Krishnadas

Academy, Chaukhamba Press, Varanasi. A.H.Su.6.113;Ci.8.21,34,156,157,158.

Aswal BS; Bhakuni DS; Goel AK; Kar K; Mehrotra BN (1984), Screening of Indian

plants for biological activity. Part XI. Indian J Exp Biol. 22: 487-504.

Bhatnagar SS; Santapau H; Fernandes F; Kamat VN; Dastoor NJ; Rao TSN (1961),

Physiological activity of Indian Medicinal Plants. J Sci Ind Res. 20A(Suppl) : 1.

Bhavaprakash Nighantu of Bhavmishra, Hindi Translation and Commentary by Chunekar

KC; Pandey GS (1982), 6^th edition, Chaukhambha Bharati Academy, Varanasi. p. 693-694.

Chatterjee A; Pakrashi SC (2001), The Treatise on Indian Medicinal Plants, (Reprinted

Edition). Publications and Information Directorate, New Delhi. vol. 6. p. 29-30.

Chawla; Chibber (1976), Some extractives from Amorphophallus campanulatus. Ind J

Pharm. 38: 109.

Chopra RN; Chopra IC; Handa KL; Kapur LD (1958), Indigenous Drugs of India,

Published by D.N. Dhur, B.L. of messrs. U. N. Dhur and Sons Private Ltd., 15, Bankim Chattrjee street., Calcutta. (2^nd Edition). p. 494, 543.

Cooke T (1967), The Flora of the Presidency of Bombay, Botanical Survey of India,

Calcutta. vol. III. p. 336-337.

Gopalan C; Rama Sastri BV; Balasubramanian SC (1971), Nutritive value of Indian

foods. National Institute of Nutrition, Hydrabad. Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi. (Revised by Narasinga Rao, BS; Deosthale, YG and Pant, KC. (1989). P-50.

Guha Bakshi DN; Sensaram P; Pal PC (1999), A Lexicon of Medicinal Plants In India,

Published by Naya Prokash, 206 Bidhan Sarani, Calcutta, India. vol. I. p. 126-128.

Hooker JD (1973), Flora of British India, Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, DehraDun and

M/s Periodical Experts, Delhi. VI: 514.

Kirtikar KR; BD Basu (1989), Indian Medicinal Plants, Published by Lalit Mohan Basu,

Allahabad, India. vol. IV. p. 2609-2610.

Mooss NS (1978), Ayurvedic Flora Medica, Second Edition, published by Vaidyasarathy

Press (P.) Ltd. Kottayam, S. India. p. 35-38.

Nadkarni KM (1976), Indian Materia Medica, Popular Prakashan. vol. 1. p. 94.

Prema P; Devi KS; Kurup PA (1978), Effect of purified starch from common Indian edible

tubers on lipid metabolism in rats feed atherogetic diet. Ind J Biochem Biophys. 15: 423 - 425.

405

Raja Nighantu of Pandit Narahari, Hindi commentary by Tripathi I (1982), Krishnadas

Academy, Oriental Publishers, Varanasi. p. 200.

Ramachandran; Phansalkar (1956), Essential amino acid composition of certain vegetable

food stuffs. Ind J Med Res. 44: 501.

Sharma PV (1978), Dravyaguna - Vijnana, 4^th edition, Chaukhamba Sanskrit Sansthan,

Varanasi. vol. II. p. 532.

Shilpi JA; Ray PK; Sardar MM; Uddin SJ (2005), Analgesic activity of Amorphophallus

campanulatus tuber. Fitoterapia. 76(3-4) : 367.

Singh (1972-73), The oxalic acid content of Indian foods. Qualit Plant Mat Veg. 22: 335.

Sushruta Samhita, English Translation with critical notes by Sharma PV (1999),

Chaukhamba Visvabharati, Varanasi. S.S.Su.46.306,307.

Tembe S; Karve M; Inamdar S; Haram S; Melo J; D'Souza SF (2006), Development of

electrochemical biosensor based on tyrosinase immobilized in composite biopolymeric film. Anal Biochem. 349(1) : 72-77.

Yoganarsimshan SN (1996), Medicinal Plants of India - Karnataka, Interline Publishing

Pvt. Ltd, Banglore. vol. 1. p. 35.

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

Agharkar SP (1991), Medicinal Plants of Bombay Presidency, Scientific Publishers.

Jodhpur. p. 19-20.

Anonymous (1978), Flowering Plants of The World, Edited by Heywood, Oxford University

Press, London. p. 309.

Anonymous (2003), Export Potential of Indian Medicinal Plants and Products (occasional

paper No. 98) Export - Import Bank of India, Quest Publications. p. 96, 137, 185.

Anonymous (2004), Reviews on Indian Medicinal Plants, Edited by Gupta A.K. and Tandon

Neeraj, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi. vol. II. p. 221-226.

Asolkar LV; Kakkar KK; Chakre OJ (1992), Second Supplement to Glossary of Indian

Medicinal Plants with Active Principles Part I (A-K) (1965 - 1981). Publications and Information Directorate (CSIR). New Delhi. p. 59.

Atal CK; Kapur BM (1982), Cultivation and Utilization of Medicinal Plants, Regional

Research Laboratory, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Jammu Tawi. p. 513.

Bennet SSR (1987), Name Changes in Flowering Plants of India and Adjacent Regions,

Triseas Publishers, DehraDun, India. p. 29.

Deshpande S; Sharma BD; Nayara MP (1995), Flora of Mahabaleshwar And Adjoinings,

Maharashtra, Botanical Survey of India. vol. 2. p. 618.

Dey Kanny Lal; Rai Bahadur (1984), The Indigenous Drugs of India. International Book

Distributor, DehraDun. p. 25.

406

Duthie JF (1960), Flora of Upper Gangetic plain and of the adjacent Siwalik and sub-

himalayan Tracts, Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta. vol. II. p. 363.

Godbole SR; Pendse GS; Bedekar VA (1966), Glossary of Vegetable Drugs in Vagbhata.

Published by IDRA - Pune. p. 17-18.

Haines HH (1961), The Botany of Bihar and Orissa, Reprinted edition, Botanical Survey of

India, Calcutta. vol. III. p. 903.

Husain A; OP Virmani; SP Popli; LN Misra; MM Gupta; GN Srivastava; Z Abraham;

Singh AK (1992), Dictionary of Indian Medicinal Plants. CIMAP. Lucknow. p. 30.

Kapur ML; Bhalla S; Verma BR (2002), Pest of quarantive significance - some minor

tuber crops. Indian J of Entomology. 64(1) : 110-113.

Kurup PNV; Ramdas VNK; Joshi P (1979), Hand Book of Medicinal Plants, Revised and

enlarged, Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha, Delhi. p. 206.

McMillan HF (1993), Handbook of Tropical Plants, Anmol Publications, New Delhi. p.

130, 134, 436.

Nair CKN; Mohanan N (1998), Medicinal Plants of India, Nag Publishers, India. p. 34. Nayar MP; Ramamurthy K; Agarwal VS (1989), Economic Plants of India. vol. 1. p. 48. Prain D (1963), Bengal Plants, reprinted edition, Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta. vol. II.

p. 835.

Prema P; Saraswathy K; Kurup PA (1978), Effect of purified starch from common Indian

Edible Tubers on Lipid metabolism in rats fed Atherogenic Diet, Indian J Biochem Biophys.

15: 423-425

Puri HS (1983), Medicinal plants of Tezpur (Assam). Bull. Medico. Ethno-Bot. Res., IV(1-

2) : 1-13.

Rao SM; Rama Rao (1914), Flowering Plants of Travancore, Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal

Singh. DehraDun. p. 426.

Rao RS (1985), Flora of India, (Series - 2). Flora of Goa, Diu, Daman Dadra and

Nagarhaveli, Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta. vol. II. p. 453.

Rastogi RP; Mehrotra BN (1993), Compendium of Indian Medicinal Plants, Central Drug

Research Institute, Lucknow and National Institute of Science Communication. vol. 2. p. 40.

Sharma PV (1996), Classical Uses of Medicinal Plants, Chaukhambha Visvabharati,

Varanasi. p. 394.

Singh BT; Chunekar KC (1972), Glossary of Vegetable Drugs in Brhattrayi, Chaukhamba

Amarbharati Prakashan, Varanasi. p. 443.

Singh VK; Ali ZA (1998), Herbal Drugs of Himalaya (Medicinal Plants of Garhwal and

Kumaon Regions of India). Today and Tomorrow‟s Printers and Publishers, New Delhi. p. 27.

Singh VK; Ali ZA; Siddiqui MK (1996), Ethnomedicines in the Bahraich district of Uttar

Pradesh, India, Fitotherapia. 67(1) : 65-76.

407

Sumathi S; Pattabiraman TN (1975), Natural plant enzyme inhibitors Part I Protease

inhibitors of Tubers and Bulbs, Indian J Biochem Biophys. 12: 383-385.

Uphof JC TH (1968), Dictionary of Economic plants. Verlag Von J. Cramer, Lehre,

Publisher. p. 33.

Vaidya A (1952), Vanaspati Parichaya, Ayurveda Research Institute, Bombay. p. 189.

Vaidya BG (1985), Nighantu Adarsha Uttarardha. Chaukhamaba Bharati Academy,

Varanasi. vol. II. p. 697.

Watt G (1972), Dictionary of the Economic Products of India, 2^nd reprint, Periodical Expert,

Delhi. vol. I. p. 225.-226.

408

SWETA MUSLI

BOTANICAL NAME : Chlorophytum tuberosum* (Roxb.) Baker.

FAMILY : Liliaceae

SYNONYMS

Sveta musli, Durnamaari, Maharrusha, Vrushya Kanda (B.N., 1982).