SHAHEED KARTAR SINGH SARABHA AYURVEDIC MEDICAL COLLEGE & HOSPITAL

Jyothismati

Botanical Name : Celastrus paniculatus Willd.

Family : Celastraceae

Introduction :

This drug considered as medya, rasayana , mangment of sidgma kustha & bhagandara. It mentioned in vedic literature . It is seen that intelligence promoting drugs are usually agnivardhak.

It is seen that intelligence promoting drugs are usually agnivardhak and this agni is sadhakagni. (Sadhak is one of the types of pitta). A person of pitta prakruti has sharp agni. He/she feels more thirsty and more hungry. Pitta prakruti people are intelligent.

Names in different Indian languages :

English : Staff tree, Intellect tree

Hindi : Malkangani

Kannada : kariganne

Malayalam : Paluruvam, cheru punna

Sanskrit : Jyothismati, pitataila

Tamil : Valulavai

Telugu : Danti cettu, gundumida

Unani : Malkkangani

Synonyms :

Paaraavatpadi. Kangunikaa, Kanguni, Vegaa, Maalkaanguni, Svarnalatikaa, Kaakaandaki, Katuveekaa

Classification according to Charaka, Susrutha & Vagbhata :

Charaka

Sirovirecana

Susrutha

Arkädi, Adhobhãgahara, Sirovirecana

Vagbhata

Arkãdi

Varieties & adulterants – (CV – controversy, AD – adulterants) :

1. Alavana

2. Salavanã

3. Rakta Phanha

4. Raktaphala.

5. Kãkãdani(Kãkamardanikã) – Cardiospermum helicacabum Linn.

6. Tejovati— Zanthoxylum budrunga wall.

Morphology :

It is a climbing or scrambling shrub, the young shoots and branches pendulous.

Leaves—glabrous, broadly ovate or obovate, acuminate or acute.

Flowers—unisexual, yellowish-green, borne in terminal, pendulous panicles.

Fruit— capsule, globose, 3-valved, 3-celled, 3-6 seeded.

Seeds are enclosed in complete red, ovoid, brown. (Flowers throughout the year).

Distribution & Habitat :

Tropical and subtropical Himalayas upto 1500m (Punjab to Assam) & Bihar and South India

Chemical constituents :

celastrine and paniculatine

Root-bark & stem— pristimerin

Seeds— celapagine, celapanigine, celapanine, celastrol, celastrine, paniculatine,malkanguniol, malkangunin, paniculatadiol, 1-amyrin, beta—sitosterol; acetic, benzoic, formic, linoleic acids etc.

Properties :

Rasa: Katu, Tikta

Guna: Tiksna

Virya: Ushna

Vipãka: Katu

Karma : Kapha-vätahara, Dipana, Medhya, Rasãyana, nervine and brain tonic, diaphoretic, febrifugal, emetic.

Indications :

Kustha, Vatavyadhi, Udara, Gulma

mental depression, hysteria , memory; also used for scabies, eczema, wounds, rheumatic pains, paralysis.

Dosage :

Powder 3-5 g. oil 5-15 drops

Part Used :

whole plant

Internal use :

Nervous System : Improves memory , enhances grasping power. Cow’s ghee and jyotishmati oil mixture is used as a memory enhancer.

Digestive System : Appetizer, Snigdha and ushna gunas improve peristalsis and are therefore useful in overcoming constipation and abdominal distension (flatulence).

Circulatory System : cardio tonic. improves cardiac output. Therefore useful in bradycardia and oedema, Black oil of jyotishmati is useful in breathlessness; yellow oil is used in osteoarthritis (external use).

Respiratory system : It is used for nasya also useful in asthma and bronchitis.

Urinary System : increase renal circulation ,it acts as a diuretic.

Reproductive System : Aphrodisiac. It is used in infertility (impotency).

Skin : Diaphoretic and cures skin disorders. It is used as antipyretic.

Temperature : diaphoretic, it is used as antipyretic. Within 3-4 hrs. it reduces fever by promoting sweating.

Important Yogas :

Jyotismati tailm.

Important research work going on :

1. skin diseases

2. antispermatogenic effect

Therapeutic Uses :

(1) Artava ksaya:  Consumption of Jyotismati leaves (fried) along with Kanjika relieves amenorrhoea (C.D.).

(2) Sidhma: Jyotismati oil processed with Apamarga ksãra jala for 7 times may be applied locally (A.H.Ci.19).

(3) Udara:  Jyotismati oil, Sarjaksãra and Hingu should be taken with milk (S.S.Ci.14).