Aragwadha

Table of Contents

Family

Sanskrit name

Nirukti (Definition)

Gana/Varga(grouping in Ayurveda)

Ayurvedic synonyms

Vernacular names

Morphology

Distribution

Pharmacological properties

Chemical composition

Samgraha kala(Time of collection)

Aragwadha in different diseases

Dose

Ayurvedic formulations

Research updates

Important references

ARAGWADHA

Family: Cesalpinaceae

Sanskrit name: आरग्वधः

निरुक्ति: आ समन्ताद् रूजां वधोऽत्र ।

It destroys diseases.

Latin name : Cassia fistula Linn.

Gana/Varga:

Charaka Samhita	Kushthaghna, Kandughna, Virechana, Tiktaskandha
Sushruta Samhita	Aragwadhadhi, Shyamadi, Adhobhagahara
Bhavaprakasha nighantu	Haritakyadi Varga shloka 131-133
Dravyaguna Vijnana II- (P.V. Sharma)	Kushthaghna page 170
Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India	Part-I-Vol –I and V

Synonyms:

Based on Swaroopa
राजवृक्ष	वृक्षाणां राजा, सुमनः शेखरत्वात्, रोगराजं वृश्चति चिनत्ति वा । (भा.नि.)
Rajavruksha (Bha. Ni.)	It is considered as king of trees as it is beautiful.
प्रग्रहः	प्रकर्षेण गृह्यते जनैः । (कै.नि.)
Pragraha (Kai. Ni.)	The flowers are beautiful.
स्वर्णाड्गः	स्वर्णवर्णान्यड्गानि पुष्पाण्यस्य । (भा.नि.)
Swarnanga (Bha. Ni.)	The flowers are golden yellow colored.
कृतमालः	कृता धारिता माला पुष्पाणामनेन । (भा.नि.)
Krutamala (Bha. Ni.)	The flowers in lax pendulous raceme inflorescence. (appears like a garland).
कर्णाभरणः	कर्णयोराभरणरूपेण प्रयुज्यते । (रा.नि.)
Karnikara (Bha. Ni.)	Flowers are used as ear ornament.
दीर्घफलः	दीर्घं फलं यष्टिवदस्य । (भा.नि.)
Dirghaphala (Bha. Ni.)	Fruits are long and pericarp thin, hard and woody as stick.
चतुरड्गुलः	चतस्रोऽड्गुलयः प्रमाणमस्य पर्वणः, चतुरड्गुलमितानि फलमज्जपर्वाणीत्यर्थः । (भा.नि.)
Chaturangula (Bha. Ni.)	Fruit initially divided by transverse septa about 5 mm apart each containing a seed.
Based on Karma
आरोग्यशिम्बी	आरोग्यप्रदः शिम्बः फलमस्य । (कै.नि.)
Arogyashimbi	The pods are health provoking.
शम्पाकः	शं कल्याणकारी पाकोऽस्य । (भा.नि.)
Shampaka (Bha. Ni.)	It is Kalyanakara(auspicious) and fruits are good for health.
व्याधिघात	व्याधीन् हन्ति । (भा.नि.)
Vyadhighata (Bha. Ni.)	It cures diseases.
आमहा	आमं हन्ति । (शो.नि.)
Amaha	It cures Ama.
ज्वरान्तकः	ज्वरनाशकः । (शो.नि.)
Jwarantaka	It cures Jwara.
कुष्टसूदनः	कुष्टं सूदयतीति । (रा.नि.)
Kushtasudana	It cures Kushta vyadhi.
आरेवतः :	आरेव्यति निःसारयति मलम् । (भा.नि.)
Arevata (Bha. Ni.):	It is Mala saraka(purgative).

Suvarnaka (Bha. Ni.), Swarnabhushana (Bha. Ni.)

Vernacular names:

Hindi	Amaltas
Assami	Sonaroo
Kannada	Kakkemara
Bengali	Sondala
Marathi	Bahava
Gujarati	Garamala
Telagu	Relachettu, Kondrakaya
Punjabi	Amltas
Tamil	Konnemara, Konnai
Malayalam	Konna, Kanikonna
English	Indian Laburnum, Purging cassia

Morphology:

Habit : A tree 6-9 m in height with greenish grey smooth bark when young, and rough dark brown when old; Leaves : pinnately compound, stipules minute; Leaflets 4-8 pairs, ovate, acute, bright green, glabrous above, paler and silvery pubescent beneath when young, main nerves numerous, close, conspicuous beneath; Inflorescence : lax pendulous racemes,Flowers bright yellow; Fruits cylindric indehiscent pods, 30-60 cm long, nearly straight, smooth, shiny, brownish black, smooth to naked eye but minute transverse fissures under lens, pericarp thin, hard and woody, fruit initially divided by transverse septa about 5 mm apart each containing a seed; Seeds: 40- 100, broadly ovate, horizontally immersed in dark colored sweetish pulp.

Distribution: Throughout India in deciduous forests and also cultivated.

Types: NA

Guna-Karma:

	Samanya
Guna	Guru, Mrudu
Rasa	Madhura
Vipaka	Madhura
Virya	Shita
Prabhava	-
Karma
Doshaghnata	Pitta-Kapha hara, Vata anulomana
Agryakarma	Sramsana
Anyakarma	Ruchya, Kushthaghna, Kandughna, Raktashodhana, Jwaraghna, Koshta shuddhikara;

Prayoga: Jwara (Satata pathya- Bp. Ni), Kushtha, Hrudroga, Raktapitta, Vata, Udavarta, Shula. Vibandha, Hrdroga, Prameha;

Acharya Charaka quotes, it should be used for without any complications in Bala, Vruddha, Kshata, Ksheena, Sukumara etc.

Chemical composition:

Root bark	An important chemical called fistucacidin, a hydroxy athraquinone type compound.
Stem Bark and heart wood	The bark and the heart wood contain fistucacidin an optically inactive leucoanthracyanidin 3, 4, 7, 8, 4’- pentahydroxyflavan along with barbaloin and rhein. N-Butanol extract of the powdered stem bark contained tannins. The benzene extract yielded lupeol, β-Sitosterol and hexacosanol.
Leaves	Leaves contain anthraquinone derivatives, tannins, free rhein, rhein glycoside, Sennoside-A and Sennoside-B. kaempferol glycosides.
Flowers	sitosterol, n-triancontanol, leucopelargonidin and a mixture of flavonoids and glucosides. Ceryl alcohol, kaempferol, rhein and new bianthraquinone glycosides, fistulin
Pods	An anthraquinone fistulic acid.

Prayojya Anga: Fruit Pulp (Phala majja), Pushpa, Patra;

Sangraha Kala: Fruits collected when ripe. Well-matured fruits are to be kept in sand for about 7 days and then should be dried under sunrays. Then the separated pulp should be collected and preserved.

Aragwadha in different diseases:

1. Aragwadha in Amavata (Rheumatoid arthritis), Sandhivata(Osteo arthritis) :

Leaf and fruit pulp are applied on painful parts.

2. Aragwadha in Kushtha(Skin diseases): The decoction prepared of all the parts of Aragvadha should be used for bathing, washing and drinking. (Cha. Chi. 7/94)

3. Aragwadha in Kushtha and Kandu(itching) - Leaf are applied.

4. Aragwadha in Visarpa(Herpes): Juice of Aragvadha leaf should be applied. (Cha.Chi. 11/88)

5. Aragwadha in Tvachavikara(Skin diseases): After massage, application of Aragvadha leaf pasted in buttermilk. (Cha.su. 3/37)

6. Vrana(Wound): Leaf should be used to wash the wound. (Su.Chi. 19/39)

7. Jwara: It is Satata pathyakara in Jwara as it is Ama pachaka and expels out the Pitta dosha and Mala.

Aragvadha fruit pulp should be given with resin juice or milk. (Cha. Chi. 3/227)

8. Aragwadha inKushta(Skin disease): Decoction is administered

9. Aragwadha in Kamala(Jaundice): Aragvadha fruit pulp should be given with sugarcane juice. (Cha. Chi. 20/56)

Matra (Dose):

Churna	5-10 gm;
Pushpa	5-10 gms,
Patra	bahya prayoga;
Stem Bark	50 - 100 ml Kwatha

Vishishta Yoga(Ayurvedic formulations): Aragwadharishta, Aragwadhadi leha; Maharasnadi Kashaya, Mahamanjishthadi kashaya.

Research:

1. Purgative activity: The aqueous extract of the fruit pulp had significant purgative action, the activity is due to the presence of anthraquinones present.( article_1632909512.pdf A CRITICAL REVIEW OF ARAGVADHA (CASSIA FISTULA LINN.)

2. Antifungal activity of leaf extract of Cassia fistula was reported.( A CRITICAL REVIEW OF ARAGVADHA (CASSIA FISTULA LINN.)

3. C.fistula treated rats showed better wound closure, improved tissue regeneration at the wound site, and supporting histo pathological parameters pertaining to wound healing.( A CRITICAL REVIEW OF ARAGVADHA (CASSIA FISTULA LINN.)

4. Antibacterial Activity: The leaves stem bark and fruit pulp was found to have antibacterial activity, the fruit pulp being the most potent in this respect. Maximum activity is seen against S. aureus, S. albus, B. megathenin, S. flexueri, S. typhui A & B and 1 gm of this extract was more potent than 100 gm of chloramphenical in vitro. This activity was attributed to the presence of rhein. .( A CRITICAL REVIEW OF ARAGVADHA (CASSIA FISTULA LINN.)

5. Antipyretic and Analgesic activity: It has been found to possess significant antipyretic and analgesic properties. .( A CRITICAL REVIEW OF ARAGVADHA (CASSIA FISTULA LINN.)

6. Anti-ulcer activity: The ethanol leaf extract (ELE) of Cassia fistula Linn. (Caesalpinaceae) showed antiulcer activity could be attributed to a decrease in gastric acid secretion, protection of the mucosal barrier and restoration of mucosal secretions, inhibition of free radical generation or prevention of lipid peroxidation, and free radical scavenging or antioxidant properties. .( A CRITICAL REVIEW OF ARAGVADHA (CASSIA FISTULA LINN.)

7. Wound healing activity: C.fistula treated rats showed better wound closure, improved tissue regeneration at the wound site, and supporting histo pathological parameters relating to wound healing.( A CRITICAL REVIEW OF ARAGVADHA (CASSIA FISTULA LINN.)

कैयदेवनिघण्टु - १. ओषधिवर्ग

आरग्वध

आरग्वधो दीर्घफलो व्याधिघातो नराधिपः |
आरेवतो राजवृक्षः शम्पाकः चतुरङ्गुलः ||९४२||
प्रग्राहो रैवतः कर्णा कर्णिकारोऽपघातकः |
आरोग्यशिम्बी कल्पद्रुः स्वर्णद्रुः कृतमालकः ||९४३||
आरग्वधो हिमस्तिक्तो मधुरो मृदुरेचनः |
गुरुर्दोषत्रयहरो ज्वरगुल्मोदरापहः ||९४४||
शूलोदावर्तहृद्रोगव्रणकच्छूप्रमेहनुत् |
पत्रमारग्वधस्यापि कफमेदोविशोषणम् ||९४५||
विरेके सततं पथ्यं मलदोषसमन्विते |
कुसुमं शिशिरं स्वादु कषायं ग्राहि तिक्तकम् ||९४६||
तत्फलं संस्रनं रुच्यं कुष्ठपित्तकफापहम् |
ज्वरे तु सततं पथ्यं कोष्ठशुद्धिकरं परम् ||९४७||
तन्मज्जा स्वादुपाकोऽग्निकृत् स्निग्धोऽनिलपित्तहा |९४८|

भावप्रकाश-पूर्वखण्ड-मिश्रप्रकरण - २. हरीतक्यादिवर्ग

आरग्वध

आरग्वधो राजवृक्षः शम्पाकश्चतुरङ्गुलः |
आरेवतो व्याधिघातः कृतमालः सुवर्णकः |
कर्णिकारो दीर्घफलः स्वर्णाङ्गः स्वर्णभूषणः ||१३१||
आरग्वधो गुरुः स्वादुः शीतलः स्रंसनोत्तमः |
ज्वरहृद्रोगपित्तास्रवातोदावर्तशूलनुत् ||१३२||
तत्फलं स्रंसनं रुच्यं कुष्ठपित्तकफापहम् |
ज्वरे तु सततं पथ्यं कोष्ठशुद्धिकरं परम् ||१३३||

राजनिघण्टु - ९. प्रभद्रादिवर्ग

आरग्वध

आरग्वधोऽन्यो मन्थानो रोचनश्चतुरङ्गुलः |
(अरिवतो दीर्घफलो व्याधिघातो नृपद्रुमः) ||४४||
हेमपुष्पो राजतरुः कण्डूघ्नश्च ज्वरान्तकः |
अरुजः स्वर्णपुष्पश्च स्वर्णद्रुमः कुष्ठसूदनः ||४५||
कर्णाभरणकः प्रोक्तो महाराजद्रुमः स्मृतः |
कर्णिकारो महाद्रिः स्यात्प्रोक्तश्चैकोनविंशतिः ||४६||
आरग्वधोऽतिमधुरः शीतः शूलापहारकः |
ज्वरकण्डूकुष्ठमेहकफविष्टम्भनाशनः ||४७||

धन्वन्तरिनिघण्टु - १. गुडूच्यादिवर्ग

आरग्वध

आरग्वधो दीर्घफलो व्याधिहा चतुरङ्गुलः |
आरेवतस्तथा कर्णी कर्णिकारोऽथ रेचनः ||२४७||
आरग्वधो रसे तिक्तो गुरूष्णः कृमिशूलनुत् |
कफोदरप्रमेहघ्नः कृच्छ्रगुल्मत्रिदोषजित् ||२४८||

मदनपालनिघण्टु - १. अभयादिवर्ग

आरग्वध

आरग्वधो राजवृक्षः शम्याकः कृतमालकः |
व्याधिघातः कर्णिकारः प्रग्रहश्चतुरङ्गुलः ||१२३||
आरोग्यशिम्बी स्वर्णागः कर्णो दीर्घफलो मतः |
कुण्डली हेमपुष्पा च करिव्याधो नृपद्रुमः ||१२४||
स्वर्णशेफालिका श्यावा कुष्ठसूदननाम तत् |
स्वर्णस्थाल्पा पित्तला च सुवर्णद्रुम ईरितः ||१२५||
आरग्वधो गुरुः स्वादुः शीतलो मृदुरेचनः |
ज्वरहृद्रोगपित्तास्रवातोदावर्तशूलजित् ||१२६||
तत्पुष्पं वातलं ग्राहि तिक्तं पित्तकफापहम् |
तन्मज्जा मधुरः पाके तिक्तः पित्तसमीरनुत् ||१२७||

Aragwadha

ARAGWADHA

English

Indian Laburnum, Purging cassia