Changeri

Sanskrit name: चाङगेरी

Latin name: Oxalis corniculata Linn.

Nirukti: चाङगस्तु शोभने दक्षे इति।

चाङग शोभनं दक्षं चापि ईरयति रूच्यत्वात् ।

Changeri (Bp. Ni.) : As it is tasty attracts everyone.

Gana/Varga:

Bhavaprakasha Nighantu	Shaka varga shloka 18-19
Dravyaguna Vijnana II (P.V.)	Rochana page 347-348
API	Part I Vol III

 Synonyms:

Based on Swaroopa
अम्ललोणिका	अम्ला च लोणिकावद्दला च । (भा.नि.)
Amlalonika (Bp. Ni.)	Leaves are sour in taste and shaped similar to Lonika(plant).
सुनिषण्णच्छदा	सुनिषण्णकवच्छदाः पत्राण्यस्याः । (कै.नि.)
Sunishannaccchada (Bp. Ni.)	Leaves are similar to Sunishannaka(plant).
Based on Guna karma
अम्लपत्रिका	अम्लानि पत्राण्यस्याः । (भा.नि.)
Amlapatraka (Bp. Ni.)	Leaves are sour in taste.
क्षुद्राम्लिका	हृस्वाऽम्लिकासदृशी । (ध.नि.)
Kshudramlika (Bp. Ni.)	Sour in taste so called as small Amlika.
दन्तशठा	दन्तान् शठति क्लिश्नोति । (भा.नि.)
Dantashatha (Bp. Ni.)	Causes tingling in teeth due to sour taste.

Chukrika (Bp. Ni.), Ambashtha (Bp. Ni.), Ashmantaka (Bp. Ni.)

Shaphari (Bp. Ni.), Kushali (Bp. Ni.) 

Vernacular names:                  

Hindi	Tinpatiya
Assami	Chengeritenga
Kannada	Hulihuniche
Bengali	Amrul
Marathi	Ambati
Gujarati	Changeri, Teen Panaki
Telagu	Pulichintaku
Punjabi	Khatkal, Khattibootee,
Tamil	Puliyarai
Malayalam	Puliyaral
English	Indian sorrel.

Morphology:

Habit: Diffuse annual or perennial procumbent or more or less erect creeping acid herb, 6-25 cm in height; Leaves: palmately 3-foliate, long stalked, leaflets obcordate, entire, cuneate at base; inflorescence: axillary or subumbellate Flowers yellow,; Fruits : loculicidal cylindrical capsules; Seeds: numerous, dark brown, transversely striate.

Distribution: Throughout India, upto 3,000 m in all moist exposed localities.

Types: Its other variety is O. acetosella Linn., which may be called as Shweta or Raktapushpa. Other one is O. latifolia native of Mexico found in India has purple coloured flowers.

Guna-Karma:

                  

Guna	Ruksha, Laghu
Rasa	Amla, Kashaya
Vipaka	Amla
Virya	Ushna
Karma
Doshaghnata	Kapha-Vatahara, Pittala
Anyakarma	Ruchya, Dipana, Grahi, Yakruit uttejana, Raktastambhana, Dahaprashamana, Jwaraghna

Prayoga: Grahani, Arsha, Kushtha, Atisara; Gudabhrumsha, Chaturthika jwara, Dhatura visha; 

Chemical composition: Tannins, palmitic acid, a mixture of 8 oleic, linoleic, linolenic and stearic acids.Vitamin C, Carotene, Tartaric Acid, Citric Acid and Malic Acid, Oxalic acid (acid taste due to the high content of oxalate in its leaves and stems)

Prayojya Anga: Panchanga

Sangraha Kala: Not Specific.

Amayika prayoga:

Bahya:

1.     Vranashotha, Shirashula : Its application is beneficial.

Abhyantara:

1.     Arsha: Its vegetable should be prepared in Ghrita or Taila and given with curd. (Cha.Chi. 9)

2.     Grahani: Ghrita prepared out of Changeri swarasa, Pippali Kalka and Dadhi and given. (Su.U. )

3.     Chaturthaka Jwara: 1000 leaves of Changeri should be pasted and boiled in 16 parts of water, when becomes thick, given with Ghrita for 3 days. (Chakradatta)

Matra: Swarasa: 1-2 Tola.(Ni.A.)

5-10 ml. of Swarasa.

Vishishta Yoga: Changeri ghruta, Jivantyadi ghrita.

Research :

1.     Wound Healing Activity: The alcoholic and petroleum ether extract of whole plant of Oxalis corniculata significantly increased the granuloma tissue breaking strength and hydroxyl proline content as compared to control.

2.     Antiamoebic Activity: Oxalis corniculata Linn. identified several compounds that showed antiamoebic activity in axenic cultures of E. histolytica.

3.     Antioxidant Activity: The study revealed that ethanolic extract of Oxalis corniculata linn. at different doses level showed significant antioxidant activity in mice.

4.     Anti-diarrhoeal activity: The anti-diarrhoeal activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Oxalis corniculata Linn. was evaluated on castor oil induced diarrhoea in rats and on small muscle intestinal transit. Extracts significantly (p<0.05) prolonged the time of onset of diarrhoea and inhibited the frequency of defecation.

Important references: