SHAHEED KARTAR SINGH SARABHA AYURVEDIC MEDICAL COLLEGE & HOSPITAL

Muchukunda

Botanical Name : Pterospermum canescens Roxb.

Family : Sterculiaceae

Introduction :

Latin name: Pterospermum = Pteron = wing. spermum= seed : suberifolium = cock like leaves

Names in different Indian languages :

Hindi : Muchukunda

Kannada : Toddagiringa

Malayalam : Chittilaplavu, Muchukundam

Sanskrit : Muchukunda

Tamil : Sempulavu

Telugu : Lolagu

Synonyms :

Kshatravruksha, Chitrak. Prativishnuk. Bahupatra, Supushpa. Adhyarhi. Lakshmanav. Raktaprasav,vasu

Pterospermum uberifolium Lam. non-Roxb.

Morphology :

A tree with scented, brown flowers.

Leaves – large, shield-like, (thus called kshatravruksha) upper surface green. lower is white. Shows vertical cracks on the bark. Trunk is brownish in colour. Branches – closely packed. Seeds are winged. Flowering occurs in summer.

Distribution & Habitat :

Throughout India

Chemical constituents :

arachidic, linoleic, myristic, oleic, palmitic and stearic acids, beta-sitosterol,

Properties :

Guna: ruksha

Rasa: kashaya, katu, tikta

Vipaka: katu

Virya: ushna

Karma :

Rakta prasadana, sopha hara carminative, digestive,astingent,

Indication :

Kasa, swasa, sira peeda, raktapitta

migraine

Part used :

Whole plant, mainly flowers

Dosage :

Leaf juice 10-15 ml

Powder 2-4 g

Decoction 50-100 ml

External uses :

Its local application is soothing and alleviates burning sensation in headache, bleeding piles and chicken pox.

Internal uses :

Analgesic in vata diseases. Muchkunda is useful as an astringent in brood and bile related disorders. It controls bleeding in piles when given as a powder of flowers along with honey and sugar. It is also useful in bronchitis, asthma and skin diseases.