Abstract

A BRIEF REVIEW OF MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF KUTAJA (HOLARRHENA ANTIDYSENTERICA LINN.) FROM KOSHA AND NIGHANTUS

*Dr. Deepika H. Jodhe and Dr. Surekha T. Landge

Abstract

Herbal medicines are significant and reliable sources for treating various diseases. Plants have been the basis for medicinal treatment since the beginning of human farming. There is an increasing demand for plant-based medicines, health products, pharmaceuticals, food supplements, cosmetics etc. Nighantu means the collection of words, synonyms and the names of the medicinal plants along with their thorough description, which significantly helps us to know the meanings of mysterious names of medicinal plants. Kutaja is one of the important medicinal herbs of family Apocynaceae. It possesses powerful antidysenteric, anthelminthic, carminative, digestive properties. It has also been used successfully by Ayurvedic practitioners for treatment of Raktapitta, Atisar, Kushtha and Raktarsha. The present work aims to discuss Kutaja in various nighantu as the manuscript or just as the evidence in chronological order.

Keywords: Nighantu, Kutaja, Holarrhena antidysenterica, Raktapitta, Atisar.