patala

Patala (Stereospermum suaveolens) tree is around 25m long. It is cylindrical in shape, extremely externally brown to creamy, rough due to vertical fissures, cracks, ridges and transverse fine lenticels, internally dark brown, lamellation of stratification due to presence of concentric bands of fibers.

Patala has various therapeutic properties like diuretic, cardiac tonic, anti-inflammatory. Its different parts are used in the management of different disorders. Patala roots are useful in the balance of vata and their related disorders. Patala flowers are cold in potency and are useful in the management of blood related disorders.

Chemical Constituents

Patala Plant contains naphthoquinone lapachol. Patala Root bark contains 6-sitosterol, n-triacontanol. Root, heart-wood contains lapachol, dehydro-a-lapachone and dehydrotectol and the Leaves contain flavone glycoside scutellarein, dinatin-7-glucuronide. Seeds of the plant contains non-drying oil, Bitter substances, sterols, glycosides and glyco alkaloids. Its Root bark contains bitter substance. Lapachol isolated which showed highly significant activity against walker 256 carcinoma. Lapachol, Scutellarein, Dehydrotectol, ceryl alcohol, oleic, Palmitic, Stearic acid.

It has two varieties mentioned by Bhavaprakasha as Patala and Sitapatala. Patala is identified as Stereospermum suaveolens and Sitapatala as Stereospermum chelonoides.

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae

Order
Lamiales

Family
Bignoniaceae

Genus
Stereospermum

Species
S. chelonoides

Habitat

It is found in North circus and Deccan, in deciduous forests; Western Ghats and also in deciduous forests, in the hills of Mysore, Malabar and Travancore, Scarce.

Vernacular Names

Botanical Name: Stereospermum suaveolens
Hindi: Padhal, Podal
Telugu: Kaligottu, Padiri, Kaligottu, Kokkesa, Podira
Bengali: Parul
Punjabi: Padala
Marathi & Gujarati: Padal
Tamil: Padari
Assamese: Parul
English: Rose Flower Fragrant
Kannada: Padramora
Malayalam: Padiri
Oriya: Boro, Patulee

Ayurvedic Properties of Patala

Hindi / Sanskrit		English
Rasa	Tikta, Kasaya	Taste	Bitter, Astringent
Guna	Laghu, Rooksha	Physical Property	Light, Dry
Virya	Anusna	Potency	Hot
Vipaka	Katu	Taste Conversion After Digestion	Pungent

Note: its flower is Sheeta Virya in nature (coolant).

Effects on Doshas

Patala is tridosahara i.e. balances all the three doshas (vata, pitta and kapha).

Practical Uses of Patala

Diuretic – Being diuretic in nature, this herb helps in easy urination and maintains the proper urine flow. It also helps to provide relief in the burning sensation, difficulty in urination and frequent urination.
Cardiac tonic – This herb has a great medicinal importance and acts as the cardiac tonic also. It helps to maintain the good heart health as it helps in the strengthening of heart muscles and arteries. Moreover it also maintains the good blood flow in the body.
It is also used to treat anorexia and improves the appetite.
Piles – This herb is quite effective in the treatment of piles. It helps to improve the digestion and resolves the problem of constipation. This herb also provides relief from the problems like itching, irritation, redness, soreness and swelling around anus.
Anti-inflammatory – It is used in the edema and helps in inflammatory conditions. It also reduces the pain.
Blood purifier – It helps to remove toxins from blood and purifies it.
It is helpful in difficult breathing, vomiting, hiccups and thirst.
Blood disorders – Use of this herb is quite good in the blood disorders like anemia. This herb enhances the production of Red Blood Cells. It also helps to provide relief in symptoms associated with anemia like fatigue, lethargy and weakness.
It is useful in kapha and vata related disorders like inflammation, asthma, fever, blood related disorders.
Root is coolant in nature and has diuretic property.
Bark is vatakaphashamaka.
Fruits and flowers are vatapittashamaka.
Its flowers are vajikar, paustika and sitala and are taken in the form of confection as aphrodisiac. It helps to improve semen quality.
It is useful in gastritis and gastric ulcers.