Madan Phal, Madana, Manphal

Biological Source

Madana consists of dried fruit of Xeromphis spinosa (Thunb) Keay, Syn Randia dumetorum Lam. (Family - Rubiaceae), a deciduous thorny shrub or a small, tree, reaching a height upto 9 m and girth about a metre, branches numerous, thick and horizontal, found in sub-Himalayan tracts extending eastwards in Sikkim upto 1200 m and southwards to Peninsular India.

Synonyms

Sanskrit :- Madani

Assam :- Maen

Bengali :- Mainaphal, Mayanaphal

English :- Emetic nut

Gujrati :- Mindhal, Mindhol, Mindhar

Hindi :- Manphal

Kannada :- Mangarikai, Karigidda, Madanaphala Maggrekai, Kari, Maggare Kayi

Kashmiri :- Madanfal

Malayalam :- Malankara, Malamkarakka

Marathi :- Gal, Galphala, Giephala, Madanphala

Oriya :- Maena, Madana

Punjabi :- Mindhal, Rara, Manphal

Tamil :- Marukkarai

Telugu :- Mranga Kaya, Monga Kaya

Urdu :- Mainphal, Jauz-ul-Qai

Description

A) Macroscopic

Fruit, 1.8-4.5 cm long, globose or broadly ovoid, longitudinally ribbed or smooth yellowish-brown, crowned with persistent calyx-limb, fruit, contains numerous seeds, 0.4-0.6 cm long, compressed, smooth, brown and very hard.

B) Microscopic

Fruit - Trasnverse section shows epicarp consisting of single layered epidermis, sometimes obliterated in surface view, epidermal cells thin-walled and polygonal, mesocarp, broad zone consisting of thin-walled, parenchyamatous cells, some cells contain reddish-brown content, a number of vascular bundles found embedded in this zone, endocarp stony consisting of light yellow polygonal, sclerenchymatous cells of variable shape and size.

Seed - Transverse section shows a seed coat, consisting of single layered, rounded to oval epidermal cells, a few layers of yellowish-brown pigmented cells, endosperm forms bulk of seed consisting of large oval and irregular shaped parenchymatous cells, albumen horny, transluscent, cells of outermost layer smaller in size.

Powder - Reddish brown, under microscope shows numerous, large, irregular, reddish brown cells sclereids of variable shape and size, pieces of xylem vessels with reticulate thickenings, thin- walled, crushed parenchymatous cells and yellow-orange pieces of seed coat.

Identity, Purity and Strength

Foreign matter :- Not more than 2 per cent,

Total Ash :- Not more than 6 per cent,

Acid-insoluble ash :- Not more than 0.25 per cent,

Alcohol-soluble extractive :- Not less than 19 per cent,

Water-soluble extractive :- Not less than 16 per cent,

Active Constituents

Essential oil, Saponin, Tannin and Resin

Properties and Action

Rasa :- Madhura, Tikta

Guna :- Laghu, Ruksa

Virya :- Usna

Vipaka :- Katu

Karma :- Vamana, Lekhana

Important Formulations

Pippalyadi Taila

Therapeutic Uses

Gulma, Kustha, Vidradhi, Slesmajvara, Pratisyaya

Dose

0.5 - 1.0 g of the drug in powder form for decoction

3-6 g of the drug for induction of vomiting