Kapurchini, Kababchini, Sheetalchini, Kankol

Biological Source

Kankol consists of mature, dried fruits of Piper cubeba Linn.f. (Family - Piperaceae), woody, climbing, perennial with dioeceous flowers in spike, cultivated to a small extent in India, specially in the Karnataka state, fruits collected when mature but still unripe and carefully dried.

Synonyms

Sanskrit :- Kankolaka, Cinosana, Cinatiksana, Kakkola, Kankolika.

Assamese :- Kakkol, Kababcheni

Bengali :- Kahabcbini, Sugandhamaricha

English :- Cubebs, Tailed Pepper

Gujrati :- Chanakabab, Chinikabab

Hindi :- Seetalchini, Kababchini

Kannada :- Gandhamenasu, Balamenasu

Kashmiri :- Kushfal, Kababchini

Malayalam :- Cheenamulaku, Takkolam, Valmulaku

Marathi :- Kankol

Oriya :- Kababchini

Punjabi :- Kababchini, Sardchini

Tamil :- Vaali milaku, Valmilagu

Telugu :- Chalavamiriyalu, Tokamiriyalu

Urdu :- Kababchini

Description

A) Macroscopic

Fruit wrinkled, rounded, 5-7 mm in diameter, light brown to dark brown, about 7 mm long stalk attached, pericarp red to slightly brown, testa fused with pericarp, fruit hard and stony albumen white and oily, odour, aromatic end characteristic, taste, pungent and slightly bitter.

B) Microscopic

Transverse section of fruit shows an outer layers of epidermis, externally covered with thick cuticle, a raw of 2-5 small, crushed, brown and thick-walled cells below, mesocarp composed of large, thin-walled parenchymatous cells, oil cells and vascular bundles, endocarp of multi-layered sclereids heavily lignified with narrow lumen, testa and tegmen composed of elongated cells tegmen cells hyaline and kernel cells greyish in colour.

Identity, Purity and Strength

Foreign matter :- Not more than 2 per cent,

Total Ash :- Not more than 8 per cent,

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

Alcohol-soluble extractive :- Not less than 14 per cent,

Water-soluble extractive :- Not less than 11 per cent,

Active Constituents

Essential oil (cubebin)

Properties and Action

Rasa :- Katu, Tikta

Guna :- Laghu, Tiksna

Virya :- Usna

Vipaka :- Katu

Karma :- Dipana, Kaphavatahara, Pacana, Rucya, Vastisodhana,

Mukhadaurgandhyahara

Important Formulations

Dashamularishta, Kumariasav

Therapeutic Uses

Sula, Aruci, Mutrakrcchra, Mukharoga

Dose

1-2 g of the drug in powder form.