Benefits for Vidanga or Embelia ribes herbs
- Friday, July 9, 2010, 10:51
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Early writers of Ayurveda Shastra often recommended vidanga as the most powerful deworming herb. Charka, Susruta, Vagbhata all mentioned vidanga as therapeutic in several diseases but mainly as a vermicide. Vidanga is traditionally used, especially in children, to combat the worm infestations throughout India. Maharishi Charka has categorized vidanga as krmighna anthelmintic, kusthaghna- anti dermatosis, trptighna – anti saturative and sirovirecana – in cleansing nasal therapy. It is also cited as rasayana – a rejuvenative and danta sulaghna an alleviator of dental pains. It is recommended as a drug of choice in worm infestations
The plant grows throughout India, especially in hilly regions, up to 1200-1500 meters elevation. It is a small shrub with long, slender, flexible branches and whitish – grey stem of about 30-70 cm in diameter. The bark often is studded with lenticles. The leaves are elliptic, 6-14 cm long and 2-4 cm broad, lanceolate and glabrous. The flowers are small, white or yellow, panicles 15-60 cm long and upper ones, 7.5-10 cm long and pubescent. The fruits are globular, 2-4 mm obovate to subglobular, succulent, wrinkles in dry conditions.
The botanical name of vidanga is Embelia ribes and it belongs to Myrsinaceac family. Embelin, quercitol, tannin and an alkaloid christembine are isolated from the fruits. The new derivatives of embelin, iodoembelin and bromoembelin are also isolated. The other constituents identified are embolic acid, fatty ingredients, resinoid and volatile oil. The mass spectral analysis of embelin shows that it is a mixture of homoembelin, embelin, rapanone and homorapanone. A new compound vilangin isolated from berries and its synthesis and structure determined.
Properties
Vidanga is pungent in taste, pungent is the post digestive effect and has hot potency. It alleviates vata and kapha but aggravates the pitta dosha. It possesses light, dry and sharp attributes. It is a potent anthelmintic, digestant and is useful in gastro-intestinal disorders like flatulence, worm infestations, abdominal pain and ascites.
Uses
The berries (fruit), leaves and the root – bark have great medicinal value and are used as medicines. Vidanga is used both internally as well as externally. The gargles with the decoction of vidanga are beneficial in dental aches and infections. The paste applied on the skin in skin diseases, gives excellent results. In chronic sinusitis, colds and migraine, the ingalation of fine powder of vidanga is recommended to eliminate the phlegmatic accumulations through nasal route (siro virecana).
Vidanga is really a boon to the digestive system, as it reconciles it very well. Orally, vidanga by itself or its various preparations are benevolent in loss of appetite, dyspepsia, flatulence with dull abdominal pain etc. In such conditions its powder is recommended with hot water or buttermilk. The vermicidal actions of vidanga have been used since centuries. Approximately 10 grams of powder is given in early morning, on an empty stomach followed by a laxative in the evening, destroys and expels the round worms, thread worms and even tapeworms. Vidanga keeps the intestines free from stale toxins (ama) which are the feeding grounds for worms and parasites. It creates the intestinal flora clean and healthy and works well as a preventive against worms. For this purpose, the mixture of vidanga, indrayava (kutaja seeds), palasa (seeds) and the skin of nimba powders is recommended for 3-4 weeks, which avoiks the recurrence and the tendency to get repeated worm infestations. Vidanga is a well known blood purifier and reduces the lipomatous swellings. It alleviates the skin diseases and eliminates the dispigmentation of the skin. The medicated milk of rasona and vidanga renders as a nervine in vata diseases like epilepsy, paralysis etc. Being diuretic in action, it is beneficial in dysuria. It imparts reddish tinge to urine. In cough and colds, the powder of its fruit works well with honey. The decoction of vidanga, haridra, yastimadhu, sunthi and goksura is given with the honey, in diabetes mellitus as an adjunct. In anasarca and diarrhea, the decoction of vidanga, ativisa, musta, devadara, patha, marica and indrayava is externely useful. The mixture of vidanga and ajavayana given with hot water, alleviates the chronic constipation. The popular preparation – Vidangarista is used very commonly with benefit in worm infestation. Urinary calculi, splenic enlargement, diabetes, glandular swellings etc.
The cold infusion vidanga is the best complementary drug, to reduce the intensity of fever and alleviate the excessive thirst and vomiting. In tuberculosis and chronic cough of kapha type the milk medicated with vidanga is extremely beneficial. Vidanga is a great rejuvenative especially to anemic children, as it boosts the dhatu agni- metabolic fire, improves the blood circulation and augments the appetite. In such condition, it works well with iron preparations (loha kalpa).In higher doses, it is said to reduce the sperm count in men and impart an antifertility effects in women. Efforts to convert it into a safe contraceptive are at an experimental stage.
Classical Ayurvedic Preparations
Vidangarista
Vidangadi kvatha
Vidanga loha
Vidanga curna
Vidanga siddha taila
Tandula rasayana
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