Agnimantha

Agnimantha is very important medicinal plant mentioned in texts since Vedic period. It is described as one of the ten herbs of Dashamoola. Agni means fire and mantha means to shake and its wood is rubbed together to produce fire in ancient times. This herb is best Vatahara and Shothahara according to Acharya Charak. Agnimantha is a flowering plant in Lamiaceae / vibernaeceae family. It resembles like large shrub or small trees growing up to 9 meters in height. It is found with yellow bark and brown colored woody aromatic root.

It is small herb commonly distributed in India and Sri Lanka. It grows along with other plants in a group. It has simple, ovate, opposite, membranous and irregularly toothed leaves. Flowers of this herb are small white colored with unpleasant smell. Fruits are saucer shaped calyx that surround the base, black when ripened.

Aak (Calotropis gigantea) is known as “Arka” in Sanskrit. When we talk about the medicinal properties of this herb, it is mostly addressed with the name of Arka. Aak is a common Hindi name given to this plant which is familiar to the Indians as a perennial bush growing almost anywhere in the wild.

The tender light green stems of this plant when broken yield milky white exudates which is sticky and the plant is popular amongst the common population merely because of this peculiarity. This milky exudate is mildly poisonous and is considered as one of the plant toxins in Ayurveda. Though toxic, this exudate (latex) can be purified and put to use as a very effective antidote as well as herbal medicine.

The name of this Aak plant is synonymous with Sun for the herb is very strong and astringent in action much like the powerful rays of Sun. It belongs to the “Apocynaceae” family of flowering plants.

Largely known variety is called Agnimantha and less known variety is called tarkari. 2-3 herbs are used in the name of Agnimantha.

• Clerodendrum phlomidis
• Premna mucronata/Premna corymbosa

Chemical composition of Clerodendrum phlomidis contains pectolinarigenin, hispidium, cleodendrin, raffinosa etc.

Premna mucronata is B-sitosterol, lutoelin, premnine, botulin, ganikarine, premenol and ganiarine.

Agnimantha, Jaya, Vataghni and Sriparna are the various names of this herb because of its various features.

When sticks of Agnimantha are rubbed together they produce fire that is why it is called Agnimantha.

It helps to overcome various diseases and called jaya.

Helps to pacify vata dosha thus called vataghan.

Due to very beautiful appearance of leaves it is called Sriparna.

HABITAT OF AGNIMANTHA

Agnimantha is widely distributed throughout India. It is found mostly in dried parts. It is easily available in upper Gangetic plains, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa etc. it is also easily available in coastal areas of southern India and dry regions of western coast. It is also found in banks of ganges and Bengal. Flowering season of this plant is from April to June.

CLASSIFICATION

NAMES

• Latin name – Clerodendrum phlomidis
• Sanskrit name – Agnimantha
• Hindi – Tekar, Arni, Agathu, Ganiyari,urni
• Malayalam – Munja
• Bengali– Ganiyari, Ganira
• Kannnad – Arani, Aranel, Airanamula
• Oriya – Ganiary
• Telgu – Nelli, Gabbunulli, Taluki
• French name – Arbe a la migraine
• Tamil name – Tazhutazhai, Munnay

PROPERTIES

EFFECTS ON DOSHA

It balances vata and kapha.

PRACTICAL USES OF CLERODENDRON PHLOMIDIS

• Agnimantha is best useful in anemia.
• It pacifies kapha (kaphaghna).
• Used to reduce swelling and inflammation (Shothahara). Warm leaves of Agnimantha are used to relieve severe pain.
• Agnimantha is useful for low digestive fire (Agnimandya) and improves digestive fire (deepana).
• Used to expel out extra waste from body (anulomana).
• Helpful in treating diabetes (premhaghna). Decoction of roots has anti-diabetic properties.
• It is used to treat haemorrhoids (arsha), cough (kasa) and asthma (swasa).
• Useful in urinary tract infection.
• Boost the immune system and purify blood (rakta shodhaka).
• Known for its analgesic properties and anti-pyretic properties (jawarghna).
• It is analgesic (Vednasthapan).
• Decoction of root is used in painful micturition.
• Pulp of roots are given orally to treat Urticaria and other skin disorders.

DOSAGE

• Mool churna – 1-3 gm
• Kwatha – 50 – 100 ml
• Patra swaras – 10 – 20 ml

PART USED

Root bark, bark, panchang and leaves.