Newsletter,
April-June 2006
IDENTITY OF VIDANGA - A PLANT DRUG IN TRADE
D.K. Ved and Archna Singh
Since
ancient times, the drug 'Vidanga' or 'Baibidanga' has
been an important ingredient in a number of ayurvedic formulations.
Vidanga has found a mention in all the three ancient Indian
ayurvedic treatises namely Charakh Samhita, Sushurta Samhita
and Ashtanga hridayam. Besides Ayurveda, Vidanga is reported
to be used in Unani (Baobarang), Siddha (Vaivilangam),
Folk, Tibetan (Byi dan ga) and Homopathic (Embelia ribes)
systems of medicines as well. Even today, the drug Vidanga,
generally comprising of red or black globular mature dried fruits is
commonly sold in most of the raw drug markets in India. This drug is
highly esteemed as a powerful anthelmintic and is used as an
ingredient of applications particularly for ringworm and other skin
diseases. In recent times, 'Vidanga' has received a fresh
impetus in view of the extensive experimental and clinical trials on
its contraceptive potentiality.
Medicinal Value and Application
The
dried fruit of Vidanga is considered anthelmintic astringent,
carminative, alternative and stimulant. It has been employed in
India, since ancient times, as anthelmintic and is administered as
powder, usually with milk, followed by a purgative. The dried fruits
are used in decoction for fevers and for diseases of the chest. An
infusion of the roots is given for coughs and diarrhoea. Aqueous
extracts of the fruit show anti-bacterial activity against
staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Vidanga
is used as anthelmintic and in flatulence of children. In Unani
medicine, the seeds are used for kidney affections. It is also used
for the treatment of dental, oral and throat troubles. When used
with Ficus religiosa and borax in milk, it acts as a quick
aborticide. It is also reportedly used for treating leprosy.
The source
Many
scholars of ayurveda and botany have correlated Vidanga to
the plant Embelia ribes Burm. f.. Vidanga was included
as official drug in the Indian Pharmacopoeia in the year 1966 and
the botanical origin was described as fruits of E. ribes
only. Since then, it is widely accepted that the botanical source of
the drug 'Vidanga' is the dried berries of fruits of E.
ribes belonging to family Myrsinaceae. There are however two
more species of the same family, namely E. tsjeriam – cottam
A. DC. (Syn. E. robusta C.B. Clarke and E. acutipetallum
Lam. ExHassk. S.M.& M.R.) and Myrsine africana L. which
is also commonly traded under the name 'Vidanga or
Baibidanga'. Whereas E. tsjeriam – cottam, also sold in
the name Vidanga bheda, is a well-known substitute, M.
africana is known to be used more as an adulterant (Sareen,
1996). According to Balwant Singh et al. 1972, sometimes the
fruits of E. tsjeriam-cottam have been used either mixed up
with it or in place of it, but they, too, have been reported to be
more or less similar in properties. These two drug sources
are found to be closely allied to the former both morphologically as
well as chemically in terms of their active principle namely Embelin
(Embelic acid, 2,5-di-OH-3-unde3cyl-1, 4-benzoquinone). Embelin is a
characteristic constituent of many of the species belonging to the
family Myrsinaceae. However, the amount of the active principle
present in each of these species varies. Study of the market
samples of this raw drug (Vidanga) has revealed that
fruits of another species, of Myrsinaceae namely
Rapanea wightiana
Mez (=Myrsine capitellata Wall var lanceolata C. B.
Clarke) are also encountered. It is a variable species of Rapanea
capitellata (Wall) Mez (=M. capitellata Wall)
which includes 2 or 3 varieties. The fruit is reported to be edible
and Seeds contain embelin (1.6%). However, it is difficult to
underpin this species as a probable candidate for Vidanga as
we do not have access to enough records of work and literature to
support this fact.
The Distinguishing Features of Embelia ribes,
E. tsjeriam-cottam and
Myrsine africana
Although the fruits of these three species appear to be almost
similar in size and shape, E. ribes having smallest size and
M. africana being largest of the three, there are
characteristic distinguishing features of each of them. The fruits
of E. ribes which is accepted to be the valid source of the
drug Vidanga, as described by Sareen (1996), are globular,
dull red or brown colour, up to 4 mm in diameter, more often with a
five partite persistent calyx and a short stalk. The surface of the
fruit is warty. The thin pericarp encloses a single seed of red
colour, which is enveloped in a delicate membrane. It has a faint
and spicy odour and is pungent with astringent taste. The fruits of
E. ribes, resemble black pepper fruits in appearance and
dried fruits are commonly employed as adulterant of black pepper.
Sareen also describes E. tsjeriam-cottam and M. africana
as a common substitute and adulterant of this drug respectively.
E. tsjeriam - cottam is also identified as a substitute
of E. ribes by Balwant Singh et al. The dry fruit of
E. tsjeriam-cottam called Vidanga bheda in Ayurvedic
materia-medica, are similar in size and shape to those of E.
ribes but differ in the structure and the colour of the outer
surface, which is not warty but shows fine parallel striations
running from the base to apex. The colour is purplish red. The odour
is similar to that of the fruit of E. ribes but the taste is
pungent and oily. The characteristic feature of this species is the
presence of oil glands in the outer mesocarp, this feature is
totally absent in the fruits of E. ribes. The fruits of
Vidanga bheda are more commonly available in the Indian Market.
In fact our raw drug collection from various markets namely Mumbai,
Delhi, Hyderabad, Calcutta, Amritsar, Orissa and Chattisgarh were
found to contain seeds of E. tsjeriam-cottam and not E
ribes. Same is also reported by Shah and Kapoor (1974), who
studied the market samples of Vidanga from Tamil Nadu, Delhi,
and U.P and observed that all the market samples collected by them
too contained the fruits of E. tsjeraim-cottam and not the
fruits of E. ribes. E. tsjeraim-cottam is considered
to have similar properties and are generally used together or as
substitute for each other. Whereas the fruits of Myrsine
africana of the same family may be regarded as one of the known
adulterant. This material is of larger size, about 5 to 6.5 mm in
diameter, reddish brown in colour and has a smooth outer surface.
The characteristic odour and pungent taste of E. ribes and
E. tsjeriam-cottam is missing in this case.
(raw drug pictures of E. ribes and E. tsjeriam-cottam to be
included)
Current Importance In Trade
It
is known to be in extensive trade in local, regional as well as
global market. The annual domestic consumption of this raw drug and
the volumes that are traded in the raw drug markets is notably high.
The market studies conducted in some of the major raw drug markets
during the period 1997-2000, has revealed that the drug is dealt in
high volumes estimated to be about 500tons per year, commanding a
price ranging anywhere between Rs.60 to Rs. 250 per Kg across
various trade centres located in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Calcutta,
Amritsar, Orissa and Chattisgarh. The summarised information
presented in the accompanying table provides the market data on
Vidanga from across some of the major markets.
Table: Trade information on Vidanga across some of the
important raw drug markets
Embelia ribes / Embelia tsjeriam-cottam Habit: Liana; Parts: Fr
(R), Fr.(B)
Sl. No. |
Name of The Raw Drug Market |
Trade Name
|
Rate (Rs. / Kg) |
Quantity (Kg) |
1. |
Hyderabad Market |
Baibidang red(Fr.-R), Baibidang black (Fr.-B), Vai-vidang (Fr.) |
Fr (R&B):180, Fr: 150-160 |
Fr. 4000-5000 |
2. |
Delhi Market |
Vai-Vidang |
Fr. 135-160 |
Fr.>10000 |
3. |
Mumbai Market |
Vaividang, Vaividang (Red), Vavding (Kala), Vavding Lal Kala |
Fr. 60-120, Fr(R): 60-250 Fr.(B):110-160 |
Fr.>100000 |
4. |
Calcutta Market |
Bai-Bidang, Baibiranga (Vavding) Red or Black |
Fr. (R&B):94-100 |
Fr. 10000-80000 |
5. |
Dhamtari Market, Chattisgarh |
Vai - Vidang |
Fr.: 85.00 |
100000 - 500000 |
6. |
Jagdalpur Market, Chattishgarh |
Vai - Vidang (black) |
Fr. (B): 70.00 |
100000 - 500000 |
7. |
Keshkal Market, Orissa |
Vai - Vidang (black) |
Fr. (B): 70.00 |
100000 - 500000 |
8. |
Raipur Market Study, Chattisgarh |
Vai - Vidang (black)
Vai - Vidang (red) |
Fr. (B): 80.00
Fr. (R): 95.00 |
100000 - 500000 |
9. |
Bagdihi Market, Orissa |
Vai - Vidang (black) |
Fr. (B): 65.00 |
<100000 |
The
commercial importance of this plant drug is also confirmed by the
study conducted by CERPA, New Delhi, under the aegis of Dept. of ISM
& H in 2000-2001. This study has estimated the domestic consumption
of Vidanga to be of the order of about 400 tons, valued
approximately at Rs. 400 lacs, for the year 1999-2000 and is one of
the top 50 traded plant drugs in India. This study has also
estimated the annual growth rate of about 23 % and projected the
demand to touch 1000 tons by 2004-2005.
The
demand for Vidanga is being met entirely from wild
collections and no commercial cultivation is underway anywhere in
India. It constitutes an integral part of Minor Forest Produce (MFP)
or Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) collection and trade by the
tribal and locals living in and around the forests, thus playing an
important role in the household and local economy of a community or
a village. Besides this, the dried fruits of the species under the
name Embelia, are also reported to be exported to Europe.
The
Issue
The
issue of identification of plant sources of Vidanga, as
available in the plant raw drug markets across the country and used
as raw material by the industry for production of formulations of
indigenous systems of medicine, along with the forests of specific
bio-geographic regions, which are providing this important plant
drug has been engaging our attention. It is obvious that the large
volume (approx. 500 tons) is not obtainable from E. ribes
which occurs sporadically in the Western Ghats, outer Eastern
Himalayan region and North East India. E. ribes is a large
woody climber and the plant generally bears fruits on the branches
climbing high up on tall trees like Vateria indica L. in
Southern India. As a result, the procurement of sizeable quantities
of fruits from such wild woody climbers seems extremely difficult.
In contrast, E. tsjeriam-cottam is a large woody scandent or
straggling shrub (rarely erect shrub) and is wider spread in
distribution and thus is more accessible source for the raw drug.
This could be one of the reasons for most of the market samples,
from different markets, predominantly containing the fruits of E.
tsjeriam-cottam. The proportion of fruits of E. ribes in
the market samples of Vidanga, consisting of fruits of both
species of Embelia, has been observed to be less than 1 %. The
sizeable proportion of E. tsjeriam-cottam presently seems to
be collected from Bastar region (Chattisgarh). Though there is no
serious problem of identification in the case of E. ribes,
however given the importance of this drug, morphology (the minute
size and shape) and the volumes potentially available from its wild
populations, the probability of substitution or adulteration is
high.
Our
studies, on the market samples, so far suggest that Vidanga is being
obtained from four different plant species namely E. ribes, E.
tsjeriam-cottam, Myrsine africana and Rapanea wightiana.
There is need to carry out more indepth and thorough studies to
understand the extent of volumes harvested from different plant
species, of different bio-geographic regions, and traded/used as
Vidanga.
News Scan
Saving medicinal
plants and biodiversity
Mar 10 2006
Category: News
Place: Pune
The Medicinal Plants Conservation Centre (MPCC), based in Pune,
Maharashtra, has initiated a conservation venture to tackle the
problem. The centre, set up by Rural Communes, a Mumbai-based NGO,
has, with help from the Maharashtra forest department and the Union
ministry of environment and forests, identified and managed 13
Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas (MPCA) adjoining forest lands
across the state. These MPCAs were selected to represent different
eco-climatic and altitudinal zones, and plant species diversity.
More >> ttp://infochangeindia.org/EnvironmentIstory.jsp?recordno=1870§ion_idv=6
Herbal couture
Jun 23 2006
Category: News
Place: New Delhi
Anitha K. Moosath
Ayur vastra... the revival of a dying family tradition.
Roots, flowers, leaves, seeds and bark of around 200 herbs go into
the making of the dyes.
Chandan\' saris, `Indigo\' shirts, `Khus khus\' purdahs —
Thiruvalluvar Handlooms unfolds a vibrant herbal couture at its
Thumpodu outlet in downtown Thiruvananthapuram. The seeds of this
herbal couture — `ayur vastra\' — revolution were sown more than a
decade ago, when a few youngsters got together to root out the
exploitation of weavers in the nearby handloom hub of Balaramapuram.
The Handloom Weavers Development Society was formed soon after and
among its members were a few from the Kuzhivila family. One of their
forefathers, C.R. Ayyappan Vaidyar, was the court physician to Sree
Moolam Tirunal of the erstwhile princely State of Travancore. He was
a weaver too and provided the royal family clothes dyed in herbs.
\"The family tradition was dying and we wanted to revive it.
Moreover, herbs seemed a bright alternative to synthetic dyes,\"
says K. Rajan, chief technician at the society\'s dyeing unit.
\"With the little knowledge I had of this tradition, we experimented
a lot. We initially displayed the clothes at exhibitions and it
caught the fancy of quite a few.\" The clientele kept growing and
about nine years ago, the Thumpodu shop was opened. The society got
a boost three years ago, when a Rs 19-lakh Japanese grant came
almost like a windfall. It set up its own dye house and bought a few
machines.
Organic process
\"The entire process is organic. The cloth is bleached with cow\'s
urine, which has high medicinal value. The dyeing gum too is herbal.
It does not pollute like synthetic dye. And the waste is used as bio
manure and to generate bio gas.\"
Roots, flowers, leaves, seeds and bark of around 200 herbs go into
the making of the dyes. The material worked on is mostly cotton and
silk; there are a few sample pieces in wool and jute as well.
Health benefits
\"The clothes sell not just because of the `green\' label. Herbal
clothes have proven good for the body. Indigo is good for the skin,
khus khus helps fight asthma and so on,\" says Satheesh, a society
member. The medicinal quality will last longer, if natural oil soaps
are used for washing, he adds.
Last year, the State Coir Department conducted a six-month clinical
trial at Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram. Four rooms were set
aside for treating rheumatism, allergy, hypertension, diabetes,
psoriasis and other skin ailments. The clothes, bed linen and
mattresses for patients were dyed in herbs and the walls, ceiling
and floor lined with medicated coir.
\"We treated around 40 people. And the response was remarkably good,
especially in cases of arthritis and skin ailments,\" says Dr
Vishwanathan, former head of the Drug Research Department of the
college.
\"It was all herbs in the air — clothes, linen and wall lining. It
effected a rejuvenation of sorts. In the last 7-8 years, my sugar
levels had never fallen so low. And now, it does not shoot to
dangerous levels as before. Of course, I am on ayurveda medicines as
follow-up,\" says G.V. Das, who was part of the clinical trial.
Growing demand
Herbal mattresses, especially those filled with khus khus, are
priced Rs 2,000 each and have become popular.\"Khus Khus keeps the
body really cool. There is a lot of demand from Ayurveda hospitals
and heritage resorts,\" says Satheesh. `Chandan\' and `khus khus\'
saris with thin `zari\' border are moving really well. \"It feels
great to wear the essence of herbs. It breathes in positive vibes,\"
says Jayashree, a bank employee. Herbal reams from Thumpodu are
reaching foreign shores as well, although the society is not into
direct exports. \"There is a lot of demand from Italy, Germany,
France, the US and Gulf. They mainly buy dress material, bed linen
and furnishing,\" says Rajan. The society members feel that the khus
khus purdahs will be a big hit in Saudi Arabia. Decking up houseboat
interiors with medicated coir is next on their agenda. \"So much
effort has gone into making ayur vastra that we want to preserve our
rights,\" says Dr Ravi, who was advisor to the Government in charge
of sustainable development and offered all help for this experiment.
A scientific validation study is under way at the Regional Research
Laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram. Once it is over, the society\'s
patent dreams may just go green.
More >> http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2006/06/23/stories/2006062300070200.htm
ICMR To Develop Drugs
From Medicinal Plants
Jun 28 2006
Category: News
Giving an impetus to the traditional medicinal system, the Indian
Council of Medical Research (ICMR) today signed an MoU with National
Innovation Foundation (NIF) to develop drugs from medicinal plants
or multi-herb formulations that have never been compiled.
The MoU that is valid for next five years was signed by ICMR
Director General N K Ganguly and NIF Executive Vice President Anil K
Gupta.
As per the MoU, the ICMR will work towards validating the safety and
efficiency of the practices that are claimed to have therapeutic
value by grassroot healers.
"This step will also serve to recognise, respect and reward the
knowledge-rich, economically poor indigenous people," an ICMR
release said.
The ICMR will be utilising a huge database of 30,000 medical
practices prepared by the NIF, an autonomous body sponsored by
Science and Technology Department, through its 'Honeybee Network'.
The database has a compilation of rare medicinal practices which
were never codified or authenticated by any medical research agency.
These are also not mentioned in the classical texts of either
Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani, the release added.
More >> http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=11798
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