Beheda, Bibhitaka, Bahara

Biological Source

Bibhitaka consists of pericarp of dried ripe fruits of Terntinalia belerica Roxb. (Family - Combretaceae), a large deciduous tree, 10-12 m or more high, commonly found in plain and forests upto 900 m elevation, fruits ripen towards November.

Synonyms

Sanskrit :- Vibhita, Aksa, Aksaka

Assam :- Bhomora, Bhomra, Bhaira

Bengali :- Bayada, Baheda

English :- Beleric Myrobalan

Gujrati :- Bahedan

Hindi :- Bahera

Kannada :- Tare kai, Shanti Kayi

Kashmiri :- Babelo, Balali

Malayalam :- Tannikka

Marathi :- Baheda

Oriya :- Baheda

Punjabi :- Bahera

Tamil :- Thanrikkai

Telugu :- Thanikkaya

Urdu :- Bahera

Description

A) Macroscopic

Fruit nearly spherical to ovoid, 2.5-4.0 cm in diameter, fresh ripe fruits slightly silvery or with whitish shiny pubescent surface, mature fruits grey or grayish brown with slightly wrinkled appearance, rind of fruit shows variation in thickness from 3-5 mm, taste, astringent.

B) Microscopic

Transverse section of fruit shows an outer epicarp consisting of a layer of epidermis, most of epidermal cells elongate to form hair like protuberance with swollen base, composed of a zone of parenchymatous cells, slightly tangentially elongated and irregularly arranged, intermingled with stone cells of varying shape and size, elongated stone cells found towards periphery and spherical in the inner zone of mesocarp in groups of 3-10, mesocarp traversed in various directions by numerous vascular strands, bundles collateral, endarch, simple starch grains and some stone cells found in most of mesocarp cells, few peripheral layers devoid of starch grains, rosettes of calcium oxalate and stone cells present in parenchymatous cells, endosperm composed of stone cells running longitudinally as well as transversely.

Identity, Purity and Strength

Foreign matter :- Not more than 2 per cent,

Total Ash :- Not more than 7 per cent,

Acid-insoluble ash :- Not more than 1 per cent,

Alcohol-soluble extractive :- Not less than 8 per cent,

Water-soluble extractive :- Not less than 35 per cent,

Active Constituents

Gallic acid, Tannic Acid and Glycosides.

Properties and Action

Rasa :- Kasaya

Guna :- Laghu, Ruksa

Virya :- Usna

Vipaka :- Madhura

Karma :- Caksusya, Kesya, Kaphapittajit, Bhedaka, Krminasana, Kasahara

Important Formulations

Triphala Churna, Triphaladi Taila, Lavanagadi Vati

Therapeutic Uses

Chardi, Kasa, Krmiroga, Vibandha, Svarabheda, Netraroga

Dose

3-6 g of the drug in powder from.