True & False Akarkara

[Guest guest]

Dear Cybervaidya,

 

You are right about there being two species of plants being referred to as

Akarkara. Both Anacyclus pyrethrum and Spilanthes acmella are referred to as

Akarkara. Both are not endemic to India but have come from North Africa. One

possibility is that A. pyrethrum arrived earlier than S. acmella and hence

is referred to as True Akarkara. However, the herb most used as Akarkara is

S. acmella. Neither plant's root or leaf or flower resembles Elephant or a

camel. The roots of A. pyrethrum are short and thin with longitudinal cracks

and that of S. acmella are thin and branched. There is only one resemblence

to 'karabha' that I have noticed. One of the meaning of 'Karabha' in

Sanskrit is the palm of the hand minus the fingers and thumb. The leaf of S.

acmella quite resembles this.

 

Vinod

 

Message: 10

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 10:07:29 -0000

"Cybervaidya" <cybervaidya

True & false Akar-kara

 

Dear Vinod,

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.