True & false Akar-kara

[Guest guest]

Dear Vinod,

Your post on akar-kara inspired me to refresh my knowledge about the

same. You mentioned you used Spilanthes acmella as akar-kara. However

the plant which is named as akar-karabh in the text is mentioned as

Anacyclus pyrethrum. Even the FRLHT site mentions akar-karabh with the

same nomenclature. In "Aushadhi Sangrah" by Vd. Waman Ganesh Desai

which is an authorative textbook on dravya-guna-vigyan there are 3

types of akar-kara mentioned. He describes it as true akar-kara

(meaning as per the texts) - Anacyclus pyretrum, false akar-kara

(meaning one which is sold in market as substitute instead of original

one) - Spilanthes oleracea and Sweet akar-kara (this is the name given

to it in the markets as it is similar to akar-kara in form but is

sweet in taste) - Tanacetum umbelliferum. He also mentions that the

active ingredient (which induces salivation) is the most in true type,

in reduced quantity in second type (hence can be used as substitute)

and of negligible quantity in the third type.

Maybe you could throw some light on this.

 

Cybervaidya.