Indian Sarasaparilla Best Herb for Rheumatism, Leukoderma, Kidney Problem (Anantmool)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Indian Sarasaparilla is commonly known as Anantmool, belongs to the family of Asciepiadaceae. It is a perennial twining or creeping herb with a woody fragrant rootstock. It is mainly found throughout India commonly in Bengal and extending Maharashtra to Travancore. In the ancient Indian Ayurveda science, the plant has been mentioned as an important medicine. In 1867 it was admitted to the British Pharmacopoeia.

The useful part of it is roots which have pleasant aroma like sandalwood. It is sweet, cooling effect and a demulcent. It is a very useful tonic, diuretic and aphrodisiac. Whole root, root bark is useful in syphilis, leukoderma, hemicrania, rheumatism, and in several liver and kidney disorders.

On simple distillation with water, the roots yield a steroptency which is supposed to be a volatile acid. It also contains an essential oil; the odor of the drug is due to coumarin. The roots also contain resins, tannins and glycoside.

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2. Common Names

• Family – Asclepiadaceae
• Hindi Name – Anantamool
• English Name – Indian Sarsaparilla

3. Vernacular Names

• Assamese – Vaga Sariva
• Bengali – Anantamul
• Gujrati – Upalsari
• Kannada – Namada veru
• Malayalam – Nannari
• Marathi – Upalsari
• Tamil – Ven Nannar
• Telugu – Sugandhi Pala
• Punjabi - Anantmool

4. Synonyms

• Aspota – Its fruits are dehiscent.
• Gopa – It protects people from diseases.
• Gopakanya – It is reared like a family member.
• Lata – It is a creeper.
• Phanijihwika – Its leaves are like serpent’s tongue.
• Shyama – It has black color stem.

5. Distribution

It is found throughout India growing under mesophytic to semi dry condition up to an altitude of 600m. It is also found in Sri-Lanka, Pakistan, Iran and Moluccas. It is generally grows in tropical rainforests and in hot temperate region.

6. Classical Categorization

• Charaka Samhita – Jwarhara
• Sushrut Samhita – Sarivadi
• Ashtanga Hridaya - Sarivadi
• Dhanvantari Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga
• Madanpal Nighantu – Abhayadi
• Kaiyadev Nighantu – Oshadhi varga
• Raj Nighantu – Chandanadi varga
• Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga

7. Morphology

It is a slender, laticiferous, perennial, twining, sometimes prostrate, or semierect herb.

Root – Woody, slender, aromatic, and cylindrical in shape, irregularly bent, 1.5 to 2 cm diameter, externally dark brown, and internally yellowish-brown in color.

Stems – Numerous, slender with thickened nodes.

Leaves – Simple, opposite, variable shape, from elliptical oblong to linear lanceolate, 5 to 10 cm long, dark green color.

Flower – Greenish-yellow to greenish-purple outside, dull yellow to light purple inside, calyx deeply five-lobed, corolla gamopetalous, about twice to calyx, stamens: 5 in number, inserted near base of corolla with a thick coronal scale.

Fruits – Two straight, slender, narrowly cylindrical, widely divergent follicles, 10-15 cm by 0.5-1cm.

Seeds – Seeds are many, flat, black, oblong with a long tuft of white silky hairs.

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8. Ayurvedic Properties

• Rasa (Taste): It has Madhura, Tikta (sweet, bitter) taste.
• Virya (Potency): It is Sheeta in nature (cold).
• Vipaka (Post-digestive taste): It is Madhura (sweet) taste.
• Guna (Qualities) – Guru, Snigdha

9. Chemical Constituent

The chemical composition of various parts is:

Roots – Alpha-amyrine, B-amyrine, beta-amyrin, B-sitosterol, glucose, hemidesmol, hemidesterol, hemidicusin, hexadecenoic acids. It oil contains 80% crystalline matter.

Stem – Indicine and hemidine, hemidescine, emidine, demicunine, heminine and lupanone.

Leaves – Hemidesminine, hyperoside, rutin.

Flower – Hyperoside, isoquercetin and rutin.

10. Identity, Purity, and Strength

• Foreign Matter – Not more than 2%
• Total Ash – Not more than 4%
• Acid-insoluble ash – Not more than 0.5%
• Alcohol-soluble extractive – Not less than 15%
• Water-soluble extractive – Not less than 13%

(Source: The Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India 2001)

11.Types

Bhavamishra has described two types of Indian Sarasaparilla:

• Sweta Sarasaparilla - Hemidesmus Indicus
• Krishna Sarasaparilla – Cryptolepis Buchananii

12. Ayurvedic and Pharmacological Actions

Ayurvedic Actions

It is a potent drug for amavishahara, astringent, spermatopoetic, purification of breast milk, blood purifier, diuretic, rejuvenative, antipyretics, complexion promoter, beneficial for throat, tonic and aphrodisiac.

• Doshakarma – Tridoshahara
• Dhatukarma – Raktaprasadana, Shukral
• Malakarma - Mutrajanana

Pharmacological Actions

It has antienterobacterial, antileprotic, antithrombotic, antiulcer, antiarthritic, anticarcinogenic, antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, hepatoprotective, nootropic effect and wound healing.

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13. Health Benefits

The roots are a sweet tonic and exercise a soothing effect on the skin and mucous membranes. They are useful in correcting disorders due to malnutrition, purifying the blood, promoting the flow of urine, and restoring normal body functions.

Indian Sarasaparilla is useful in loss of appetite, asthma, cough, leucorrhea, fever, leprosy and other skin diseases, burning sensation, hemorrhoids, general debility and wounds.

14.Therapeutic Uses

For Fever

Indian Sarsaparilla root is beneficial in treating fevers, due to its diaphoretic property, which has sweat-inducing properties and induces copious perspiration, thereby reducing temperature.

For Genito – Urinary Disorders

The Indian Sarsaparilla root is useful in syphilis, leucorrhea, and other Genito-urinary disease. Make a decoction of Indian Sarsaparilla root powder and take 50-60ml thrice a day, is effective in syphilis, leucorrhea, and other Genito-urinary diseases.

For Inflammation

Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, it is beneficial in the treatment of swellings and rheumatic joints and boils. Take 5-6 grams of root powder of Indian Sarsaparilla and mix it with water to make a paste, apply it to the pain area, which gives relief from arthritis.

For Stomach Disorder

Indian Sarsaparilla root is beneficial for treating stomach disorders like dyspepsia and loss of appetite. It is helpful in stomach pain and diarrhea. Take 1 to 6 grams of root powder of Indian Sarsaparilla with milk, which gives relief from dyspepsia and loss of appetite.

For Hair

Indian Sarsaparilla root contains hair-growing hormones, regular wash promotes hair growth and makes strong hair. Make a decoction of Indian Sarsaparilla root powder and wash the hair with this decoction. Helps to prevent hair falls.

Leprosy

Bruhati, Ushira, Sariva, Patola, and Kautki are used for drinking, bathing, in ointment and as paste to cure leprosy.

Asthma

Ghee cooked with double quantity of the decoction of Indian Sarsaparilla is useful in the treatment of asthma.

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15. Official Part Used

Roots

16. General Doses

• Powder – 3 to 5 g
• Paste – 5 to 10 g
• Hot Infusion – 50 to 100 ml

17. Formulations

Sarivadikwath, Sarivadivati, Sarivadyaavaleha, Pindataila, Sarivadyasava.

18. Indian Sarsaparilla Herbal Tea Recipe

This is a very easy and simple tea recipe; you can add or replace your evening tea with this refreshing herbal tea. Here is the tea recipe.

Ingredients

• Indian Sarsaparilla root powder – 40 grams
• Rose Petals – 1 tbsp.
• Lotus Petals – 1 tbsp.
• Milk Lukewarm – ½ cup
• Water – 2 cups
• Honey or Palm Sugar – 1 tsp

Method

• Heat the pan and add water and boil it.
• Add all the ingredients except milk and honey.
• Boil it and make a decoction of that.
• Strain in a cup and add milk and honey.
• Enjoy the tea.