ASHTAVARGA -RARE MEDICINAL PLANTS

Ashtavarga- Rare Medicinal Plants



Ashtavarga is important ingredient of various classical Ayurvedic formulations like Chavyanprasha. Ashtavarga has been assigned various medicinal properties by ancient Materia Medica dealing with Ayurveda. Ingredients of Ashtavarga

1. Jeevaka
2. Rishbhaka
3. Meda
4. Mahameda
5. Kakoli
6. Kshira-kakoli
7. Riddhi
8. Vriddhi

Jeevaka (Malaxis acuminta D.Don syn. Microstylis wallichii Lindl syn. Malaxis wallichii Deb.)
Synonyms: Chirnjivi, Dirghayu, Harsanga, Ksveda, Kurchashira, Pranda, Shringaka and Svadu.
Family: Orchideaceae.
Botany: Malaxis acuminta is a terrestrial, robust herb, up to 25 cm high. Stem tending to be psuedobulbous at base. Leaves 3-5, elliptic acuminate, sheathing at base. Flower deep pink in crowded, terminal dense to lax racemes, bracts deflexed.
Ayurvedic dynamics: Sweet in taste, cold in potency, pacifies vata and aggravates kapha.
Actions: Cooling, febrifuge and spermopiotic.
Therapeutics: Bleeding diathesis, burning sensation, fever and phthisis.

Rishbhaka (Microstylis muscifera Ridley)
Synonyms: Bandhura, Dheera, Durdhara, Gopati.Indraksa, Kakuda, Matrika, Vishani, Vrisha and Vrishnabha,
Family: Orchideaceae.
Ayurvedic dynamics: Sweet in taste, cold in potency, pacifies vata and aggravates kapha.
Actions: Cooling, febrifuge and spermopiotic.
Therapeutics: Bleeding diathesis, burning sensation, fever and phthisis.

Meda (Polygonatum verticillatum (L.) All. syn. Convallaria verticillata L. syn Evallaria verticillata Necker)
Synonyms: Dhara, Manichhidra and Shalyaparni
English name: Whorled Solomon's seal
Family: Liliaceae.
Botany: Polygonatum verticillatum is a perennial growing to 1.2m by 0.45m. The leaves four to eight in a whorl; the flowers, two to three in a bunch in the axils of the leaves, are greenish-white. The fruits are red when ripe, and remain hanging after the leaves have fallen. The flowers are hermaphrodite.
Phytochemistry: Work done in Ukraine has reported presence of lectins.
Ayurvedic dynamics: Sweet in taste, cold in potency, pacifies vata and pitta.
Actions: Cooling and spermopiotic.
Therapeutics: Fever, burning sensation and phthisis.

Mahameda (Polygonatum cirrhifolium (Wall.) Royle)
Synonyms: Devamani and Vasuchhidra.
English name: King’s Solomon's seal
Family: Liliaceae.
Botany: Whorls of delicate leaves and nodding little lilac bells on slender stems to 45cm. Shoots erupt from creeping rhizomes so late in the spring you fear something's wrong, and flower within a fortnight.
Phytochemistry: Steroidal saponins and polysaccharides
Ayurvedic dynamics: Sweet in taste, pacifies pitta and aggravates kapha.
Actions: Cooling, febrifuge and spermopiotic. James Duke in his work on medicinal plants of China has reported cardio tonic, carminative; sialagogue, stimulant and tonic properties of Polygonatum verticillatum. The plant is used in Tibet system of medicine also.
Therapeutics: Burning sensation and fever. In Tibet Polygonum cirrhifolium is used for loss of vigor, pain in kidneys and hips, swelling and fullness in the abdominal region, accumulation of fluids in bone joints, skin eruptions, and bronchitis.
Pharmacological investigations: Investigations in China has reported hypoglycemic, hypotensive; antibacterial and antifungal effects of Polygonum cirrhifolium.

Kakoli (Roscoea procera Wall. formerly Roscoea purpurea or Fritillaria roylei Hook.f)
Synonyms: Dhawanksholika, Karnika, Ksheera, Madhura, Shukla, Svadumansi, Vayasoli and Vaysasha.
Family: Zingiberaceae.
Botany: Roscoea purpurea is a much larger and lusher plant, forming clumps of thick, fleshy leaves from where arise fat stems topped by one or two two-tone purple hooded flowers in summer.
Ayurvedic dynamics: Sweet in taste, cold in potency, pacifies vata and pitta.
Actions: Cooling and spermopiotic.
Therapeutics: Fever, burning sensation and phthisis.

Fritillaria roylei
Common name: Himalayan fritillary.
Family: Liliaceae.
Botany: Bulb growing to 0.6m. The flowers are hermaphrodite
Phytochemistry: Alkaloids: peimine, peiminine, peimisine, peimiphine, peimidine and peimitidine, neutral principle: propeimin and sterol.
Ayurvedic dynamics: Sweet in taste, cold in potency, pacifies vata and pitta.
Actions: Cooling and spermopiotic. Usher. G. has reported antiasthmatic, antirheumatic, febrifuge, galactogogue, haemostatic, ophthalmic and oxytocic properties of Fritillaria roylei.
Therapeutics: Fever, burning sensation and phthisis.

Kshirakakoli (Lilium polphyllum D.Don)
Synonyms: Kshiramadhura, Kshiravishanika, Kshirshkula, Payasvani, Vayastha and Veera
Family: Liliaceae.
English name: White lily.
Botany: Leaves are scaly. The plant originates from bulbs.
Ayurvedic dynamics: Sweet in taste, cold in potency, pacifies vata and pitta.
Actions: Cooling and spermopiotic.
Therapeutics: Fever, burning sensation and phthisis.

Riddhi (Habenaria edgeworthii H.f.)
Synonyms: Lakshmi, Mangala, Rathanga, Rishisrista, Saravajanpriya, Siddhi, Sukha, Vasu and Yuga.
Family: Orchidaceae.
Ayurvedic dynamics: Sweet in taste and pacifies vata and pitta but aggravates kapha.
Actions: Cooling and spermopiotic.
Therapeutics: Diseases of the blood.

Vriddhi (Habenaria intermedia D.Don syn. Habenaria arietina H.f.)
Synonyms: Lakshmi, Mangala, Rathanga, Rishisrista, Saravajanpriya, Siddhi, Sukha, Vasu and Yuga
.Family: Orchidaceae.
Ayurvedic dynamics: Sweet in taste and pacifies vata and pitta but aggravates kapha.
Actions: Cooling and spermopiotic.
Therapeutics: Diseases of the blood.

Conclusion
Ashtavarga is significant constituent of Ayurvedic pharmacy. The compound formulation and its ingredients alone have various medicinal effects. Based on the properties described in ancient texts, Ashtavarga seems to have antioxidant and anti ageing effects.