Ikshvaku

तुम्बी तिक्ता कटू :पाके वामनी वातपित्त जित् l l

अह्रुद्या शीतला कासश्वासज्वरविषापहा l

अलाबूपत्रं मधुरं पित्तघ्नं मुत्रशोधनम l l कै नि

कटू तुम्बी हिमा हृदया पित्तकासविषापहा l

तिक्ता कटूर्विपाके च वात पित्तज्वरांत कृत्l भा प्र

Botanical Name :Lagenariasiceraria. (Mol.)Standley

Classification:

According To Modern

Kingdom –Plantae

Order –Passiflorales

Family     –Cucuribitaceae

According To Ayurveda

Charak- Phalini, VamanaDravya

Sushruta- UrdhwabhagaharaDravya

Bhavprakash- Saka varga

Dhanvantari Nighantu-Guduchyadi varga

Kaiyyadeva Nighantu-Oushadhi varga

Raja Nighantu-Guduchyadi varga

Other Names :

Hindi name- Titalouki, Kadavilouki, Lauki
English name- Bottle gourd, Long melon, Calabash,  white-flowered gourd, Bitter calbash gourd
Bengali Name- Titlaou, Ladu
Gujarati Name- Kadavitumbadi, Dudhi, Tumada
Kannada Name- Sorekai, Sorekayi
Telugu name- Sorekaya, Sorakkaya
Manipuri name – Khongdrum
Marathi name – Dudhi
Tamil name – Surakkai
Malayalam name – Pechura
Urdu name – Lauki

Sanskrit Name-

Pinda phala-fruit is spherical in shape

Tiktabeeja,Tiktalabu-the fruit is bitter in taste

Mahaphala-Fruit grows to big size

Ikshvaku,Tumbi,Lamba,Katutumbi,Rajaputri,Tumbika

General Information :

Habit- a large softly pubescent , climbing or trailing herb with 5 angled hispid stem. Tendril is bipid and long. Leaves- simple, long petioled, with two glands at the apex, 5 lobed, cordate, dentate, hairy on both surfaces. Flowers- large, white , solitary, the males long stalked and the females short stalked. Fruits- large, spherical, bottle or dumb- bell shaped, rind woody when ripe enclosing soft juicy flesh. Seeds are many, white, compressed with a marginal groove.

Types Of Plant’s :

Eatable – Madhura.

Medicinal – Tkta (Jungli)

Properties (Gunadharma)

Rasa-Tikta

Vipak- Katu

Virya- Sheeta

Guna-Laghu, Ruksha

Specific Parts :

Fruits, leaf, Root

Doshaghnata :

Kapha- pittashodhana

Shloka’s :

कटुतुम्बी कटुस्तिक्ष्ना वान्तिकृछ्रसवातजित ।

कासघ्नी शोधनी शोफ़व्रणशूलविषापहा  ।। रा. नी.

तुम्बी तिक्ता कटू :पाके वामनी वातपित्त जित् l l

अह्रुद्या शीतला कासश्वासज्वरविषापहा l

अलाबूपत्रं मधुरं पित्तघ्नं मुत्रशोधनम l l कै नि

कटू तुम्बी हिमा हृदया पित्तकासविषापहा l

तिक्ता कटूर्विपाके च वात पित्तज्वरांत कृत्l भा प्र

Benefits :

Internal : being deepana, anulomana, shoolaprashamana and krimighna, in agnimandya , vishtambha, udarashoola, krimi , vishoochika and in children at the time of dentition. Being hridayottejak, shothahara and raktashodhana in hriddaurbalyajashotha, amavata and sandhivata and in raktadushtijanyavikara. Being kaphanissarakapatrasvarasa is given in children in pratishyaya and kasa to expel phlegm through vomitus.

Being garbhashayasankochaka in sakashtaprasuti.In anartava, kashtartava and being mootrala, in mootrakrichchhra.In kushtha, vishamajvara and in sarpa-vrishchika and mooshakavishabadha as vamana.

Nasya of Katutumbi patra swarasa is sed to treat jaundice and sinusitis.

Gargling of Juice of Ikshavaku is advisiable in dental carries.

Oil prepared from Ikshvaku root and patra is used for external application to treatskin diseases.

Oil prepared from Ikshvaku root and patra is also used to treat localised swelling and wounds.

The fruit,leaves and root of Ikshvaku is used to induce emesis and purgation as part of panchakarma procedure in ayurveda.

Leave paste of Ikshvaku is applied over the affected area of insect bits along with pain and burning sensation.

Leave or fruit decoction of Ikshvaku is used to treat skin disease and infection which is caused by blood impurities.Dose-20-25ml.

Fruit or leave decoction of Ikshvaku is given in empty stomach to treat intestinal worms.Dose-15-20ml

Formulation (Kalp) :

Name                                      Indications

Tumbitaila                               Galaganda

Mahavisagarbhataila  Vatavyadhi, Bhagna

Narayana Taila                       Vatavyadhi, Manyastambha

Dosage :

Moolachoorna- 1 to 3 gm.

Patra svarsa – 5 to 10 ml.

Research Corner :

A study done to validate antidyslipedemic , antioxidant and anthihyperglycaemic effects of Lagenariasiceraria fruit extract in human subjects with Dyslipidemia along with subjects of normal health. A total of 200 ml of freshly prepared lagenariasiceraria fruit extract was administered daily on empty stomach for 90 day’s .

Side Effects-

It is avoided in a person with cardiac diseases as it cause emesis and purgation.

It is also avoided in childrens,old age people and in pregnant women.