Punarnava

Punarnava is a controversial plant. I mention some important parts of it. Punarnava has different types of variety and origin. Punarnava is the best plant for rejuvenation.

1. PUNARNAVA PRESENTED BY: TANVI PAWAR

2. PUNARNAVA Boerhavia diffusa (BD) Linn. is a well-known medicinal plant in traditional Indian medicine . In ayurvedic texts, more than 35 formulations of different types contain it as major ingredient. In Ayurveda, BD has been classified as “ rasayana ” herb. Punarnava is a controversial medicinal plant.

3. PUNARNAVA MEANING Punarnava is the word derived from two different words “ PUNAR ”which means “ again ” “ Nava ” which means “ new ”. The plant dies of in a year and with the same root a new plant arises next year. Due to its Rasayana and Raktavardhak property it renews the body system.

4. CONTROVERSIAL STATUS Punarnava has been known to be a controversial plant in Ayurvedic literature. In Vedic period there is no controversy about this drug. In Samhita period Punarnava , varshabhu , Kathillaka , Vrishchiva , Vrishchira and Vrishchika have been described together in several places which indicates that these all are separate drugs having similar properties and actions. In some places we have also found that the words like Punarnave dwe and dwi Varshabhu means two types of Punarnava and Varshabhu respectively. The commentators have muddled the subject and created the controversy of Punanava .

5. CONTROVERSIAL STATUS Chakrapani considered Kathillaka as Punarnava and Vrishchira as Sweta Punarnava . While Dalhana interpretes Varshabhu as Punarnava , Sweta Punarnava (S.S.Su.21) and Rakta Punarnava . In Nighantu all these drugs are described as synonyms to each other Sodhala nighantu describes other variety of Punarnava i.e. Vaishakha , which is having profused branches with red margins around the leaves. Botanically three species of Boerhavia have been used as Punarnava in different parts of India viz. B.diffusa , B.erecta and B.rependa . Sharma P.V. standardized that Rakta Punarnava is B.diffusa and sweta Punarnava is B. verticillata on the basis of through literature and pharmacological study.

6. PUNARNAVA IN DIFFERENT AYURVEDIC TEXTS CHARAK SAMHITA : Charak quoted two types of Punarnava ie in Kasahara, Anuvasnopaga and Svedopaga mahakasaya . He also described Punarnava in Sakavarga with the synonym Kathilla . KAIDEVA NIGHANTU : Kaideva Nighantu also mentioned two types of Punarnava . First one is Punarnava and the other one is Kathillaka .

7. PUNARNAVA IN DIFFERENT AYURVEDIC TEXTS MADANPAL NIGHANTU : Here also two variety of Punarnava has been mentioned, Sveta and Rakta . Sveta Punarnava is said to have White root and large leaves. While Rakta Punarnava is said to have root part and flower both red in colour. SHODHAL, RAJ , BHAVYAPRAKASH,Etc .

8. MEANING OF PUNARNAVA SYNONYMS Punarnava , Varsaketu , Varshabhu - It is perennial and regenerates in rainy season. Vishakha - It is a spreading herb with extensive branches. Mandalpatrik - The leaves are nearly ovate. Rakta Kaand - The stems are red in colour. Raktapuspika - It has red flower. Svetamula - The root is white in colour. Kathillaka , Shivatika - It is a very useful drug. Sothaghni , Sadyovisoshi - It is used particularly in oedema. Sarini - It has a diuretic action.

9. BOERHAVIA DIFFUSA ( Boerhavia repanda ) TRIANTHEMA PORTULACASTRUM synonym Rakta Punarnava , Red Hog weed Swet Punarnava , Gadabani , Godabani , white hogweed Biological source punarnava ( rakta ) consists of fresh as well as dried whole part of Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. Punarnava ( sveta ) consists of fresh as well as dried whole part of Trianthema portulacastrum . Family Nyctaginaceae . Aizoaceae . Geograhical Source It is found in Australia, Pakistan, Sudan, Srilanka , in several countries of the Middle East and in Myanmar, China, and India. Boerhavia diffusa is also indigenous herb to India; and found all over the warmer parts of the country up to an altitude of 2000 m in the Himalayan region. It is an exotic weed and a native of tropical America. It is growing throughout most tropical countries, such as Baluchistan, Ceylon, and India.

10. Morphology leaves Opposite often in unequal pairs, petiolate, ovate, sub orbicular/ cordate . Petiolate, opposite, unequal, ovate- obovate, petiole dilated

11. flower Small, paniculate, umbellate/ subcapitate , articulated with pedicel, bracteolate, pink, purple Axillary, sessile/ Peduncled , solitary, cymose/ Panicled

12. Leaf and palisade tissue Leaf- dorsiventral, single layered Leaf-dorsiventral, double layered midrib In the mid-rib the vascular bundle vary in number and arrangement from species to species have a crescent shape three larger central vascular bundles while two lateral smaller, which forms the central midrib In midrib 4-5 vascular bundles unite to form horseshoe shaped resembling solitary vascular bundle forming single midrib Medullary bundles (stem & root) Medullary bundles are present. Medullary bundles are absent trichomes Uniseriate -multicellular with elongated head Unicellular- uniseriate stomata Anisocytic Paracytic crystals Starch-grains, raphides Druses

13. Alkaloid Punarnavine rotenois Boeravinone ,Hypoxanthine 9-L-arabinofuranoside Hentriacontane, β- sitosterol and ursolic acid glycosides Punarnavoside C- methylflavone 5,7-dihydroxy-3’,4’-dimethoxy- 6,8dimethylflavone , β- ecdysone, triacontane , β- sitosterol- β- D-glucoside acids tetracosanoic, hexacosanoic , stearic, palmitic, arachidic acids , Boerhavin and boerhavic acid lignans Liriodendrin , syringaresinol mono- β- D-glucoside lipids 5-methyleicos-4-ene Eicos-4-ene 4-methyloctadec-3-ene 4-methylnonadecylbenzene Phenolic compound 3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxycinnamoylrhamnoside Quercetin 3-O-rhamnosyl (1→6) galactoside (quercetin 3-O-robinobioside) Quercetin 3-O-(2″- rhamnosyl )- robinobioside Kaempferol