AGASTHI-agathi
Agasthya is a well renowned acharya in ayurvedic and siddha
traditions, since this tree was most favourite of those of the sage, this tree
is named agasthi.
FAMILY : FABACEAE(PAPILIONACEAE)
SCI.NAME : SESBANIA GRANDIFLORA PERS.
Based on the colour of the flower there are two varieties,
namely white and red one.
Synonyms : agasthi, agasthidaru,munitaru,vangasenaka
Hindi : hathiya, hadaya
Bengali : bukko, baak
Telugu : avasi
Gujarathi : agathiyo
English : agusta
Distribution : Seen all around India, cultivated in arid
areas such as Gujarat.
Description :It is a fast-growing tree, leaves are regular and rounded and the flowers white and red in color according to its species. The fruits look like flat, long and thin green beans. The tree thrives under full exposure to sunshine and is extremely frost sensitive.
Its a small soft wooded tree up-to 3-8m, leaves 15–30 cm long; leaflets 10-20 pairs or more and an odd one. Oblong, 1.5-3.5 cm long variety red, 7.5–10 cm long in lax, 2-4 flower racemes, calyx campanulate, shallowly 2-lipped. Pods slender, falcate or straigh, 30–45 cm long, suture thick, Seeds ca. 30, to 8mm.
Chemical components
& its action : Plant—astringent, antihistaminic,
febrifuge. Used
for intermittent fevers,
catarrh,
cough, consumption,
glandular
enlargement. The
aqueous extract of flowers has
been found to produce haemolysis of
human and sheet erythrocytes even at
low concentration due to methyl ester
of oleanolic acid. Flowers also gave
nonacosan-6-one and kaempferol-3-
rutinoside.
The seed gave kaempferol-3,7-diglucoside,
(+)-leucocyanidin and cyanidin-
3-glucoside. Seed also
contains
galactomannan.
A saponin present in the leaves
on hydrolysis gave an acid sapogenin
oleanoic acid, galactose, rhamnose and
glucuronic acid. Besides saponin, the
leaves contain an aliphatic alcohol,
grandiflorol. The bark contains gum and tannin.
The red gum is used as a substitute for
Gum arabic. An infusion of the bark
is given in first stages of smallpox and
other eruptive fevers (emetic in large
doses).
Dosage : whole plant -10
to 20ml juice, 50 to 100ml decoction.
Rasadi gunas ;
TIKTA RASA,
ROOKSHA LAGHU GUNA,
SEETA VEERYA,
MADHURA TIKTA VIPAAKA.
