Crude drug sample data base

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Crude drug name

Market nameBhilawa
Formal nameBhallataka
Other names　　　

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Bhilaavaa (T), Bhelaa (B), Bhilaavaa (H), Geru (K), Tenparakaa, Cheru (M), Jiddivittulu (Te), Sherankottai (Ta), Besingbraasbu (Ti), Bhalai (N)
English nameMarking Nut, Oriental Cashew
Original plant nameSemecarpus anacardium Linn., Marking Nut, Oriental Cashew
Family nameAnacardiaceae
Used partClassificationPlant origin
Sub classification fruit
Collection informationIndia, New Delhi, Hans Raj & Sons
Collection date1991/05/07
CollectorTsuneo Namba, et al.
TMPW No.12516

The capital city, provincial capital city or the representative　　
location of its administrative area is indicated.　　
Production area information
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28.6139391
77.20902120000005
Collection information
India,New Delhi
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Scientific information data base

Crude drug nameAyurvedic name or
Sanskrit name, English name		Bhallataka (Fruits), Marking Nut, Oriental Cashew
SynonymsBhallataka, Sosakara, Ksirakaraka, Vranakrt, Cikharvara, Agninama, Raksoghna, Aruskara, Aruska, Agnika, Agnimukhi, Bhalli, Vira vrksa, Sophakrt, Agni, Dahana, Tapana, Aruskara, Anala, Krmighna, Taila bija, Vatari, Sophabijaka, Prthak bija, Dhanur bija, Vijayadapa, Vahni, Varataru
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Original plant nameSemecarpus anacardium Linn.
Family nameAnacardiaceae
Used partFruits, Seeds, Bark
Distribution areaOccurs in the tropical Himalayan tract in India, Khasra hills, Chittagong, central India extending down to Madras state. It is cultivated in Ceylon.
RemarksCommon.
Common usesFruits of Bhallataka are useful in dyspepsia, nervous debility, neuritis, rheumatism and impotency. Being poisonous, the drug is used after detoxification. It is employed in drugs for all round restoratives and tonics. Fruits are acrid, hot and anthelmintic. It is considered useful in ascites, warts, tumours/tumors, asthma, neuralgia, epilepsy and psoriasis. Fruits crushed in cow's butter are used for ring worms. Juice of the pericarp is a powerful counter irritant and vesicant. It causes painful blisters which spreads to adjacent areas on the skin.
Therapeutic usesKapha roga (all Kapha disorders), Vibandha (blocks), Udara (ascitic types), Kustha (skin diseases), Arsa (piles), Grahani (irritable bowels), Gulma (intestinal tumours/tumors), Sopha (swelling), Anaha (distension of hypogastric region), Jvara (fever), Krmi (worms), Svitra (leucoderma), Agni mandya (less digestive fire), Anila (rheumatic disorders), Meha (diabetic types), Svasa (respiratory disorders), Sula (abdominal colic)
Chemical constituentOthers
Kernel yields oil - Bhilavan Shell Liquid (BSL), a rich source of phenols, fruit contains Bhilawanol.
Nut gave: bioflavones-semecarpetin and anacarduflavanone.

Pharmacological effectBoilogical tests have shown that the extract of the fruit are effective against humanepidermal carcinoma of the naso-pharynx in tissue culture; experiments on anti-cancer activity of the nut juice show that oral administration to cancer patients, particularly those having oesophagal and mouth cancer, is beneficial as providing clinical improvement - symptomatic relief and extension of survival time. Fruit extract showed hypoglycaemic activity on experimental animals. In combination with butter, milk, and emollient oils, the juice is considered safe for internal administration. Extracts obtained by boiling the nut in milk have proved useful in the treatment of sciatica. The nut has been tried also against ankylostomiasis and proved beneficial in a large number of cases.
Medical systemAyurveda (Traditional Indian medicine)
Traditional conceptRasa (Taste)Madhura (Sweet), Kasaya (Astringent), Tikta (Bitter)
Virya (Potency)Sita (Cold)
Guna (Quality)Laghu (Light), Snigdha (Unctuous), Tiksna (Sharp)
Vipaka
(Post digestive taste)		Madhura (Sweet)
Karma
(General action)		Brmhana (nourishing), Pacana (digestive), Chedi (cutting), Bhedana (breaking), Medhya (good for intellect), Vahnikara (increasing digestive power)
Dosakarma
(Action on dosa)		Decreases Kapha Vata
Dhatukarma(Action
on body tissues)		Asraghna (blood disorders)
Mala
(Action on excretory mechanism)		Grahi (constipative)
Avayava
(Action on organ)		Danta sthairyakara (increasing strength of teeth)
Traditional usage1. Four fruits of Bhallataka (Semecarpus anacardium) is cooked in one litre of cow's milk according to ksira paka vidhi. (medicated milk preparation). This if taken increases sexual potency and rejuvenates the body.

2. Tila (sesamum), Bhallataka are taken in equal quantities for skin diseases and piles.

3. Bhallataka oil if taken for one month is an excellent rejuvenative.

4. Bhallataka decoction is cooked with ghee and taken along with sugar and honey for uterine tumours/tumors.

5. Bhallataka, Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Ajaji (cumin seeds), Jaggery are taken together for spleen enlargement.

6. The powdered nut can be used after purification as a tooth powder in the mouth cancer.

7. Ghee cooked with Bhallataka, Triphala (a group of three fruits: Amalaka, Bibhitaki, and Haritaki), Nimba (neem) is used for skin diseases.

8. In Kustha (skin disease) located in medas (fat tissue) regular use of Bhallataka, Silajatu (asphalt), Maksika (honey), Guggulu (Commiphora mukul), Aguru (Aquilaria agallocha), Tuvaraka (Hydnocarpus laurifolia), Khadira (Acacia catechu), Asana (Pterocarpus marsupium) and Ayaskrti (a formulation) are wholesome.

9. In Kustha (skin disease) caused by Kapha, ghee cooked with Bhallataka, Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) and Vidanga (Embelia ribes) is efficacious. Oil of Tuvaraka or Bhallataka is useful for all.

10. One should take Tuvaraka seeds, Bhallataka, Bakuci (Psoralea corylifolia), Citraka (Plumbago zeylanica), Silajatu (asphalt) by method of Rasayana (rejuvenation) in skin diseases.

11. In all types of skin diseases, oil of Bhallataka or Tuvaraka or Sarsapa (mustard) should be taken or ghee cooked with Vidanga, Haritaki and Bhallataka.

12. Bhallataka nuts should be crushed, kept overnight in cow urine and then dried. This is repeated thrice. Then it is pounded finely and made into a paste which, mixed with Snuhi (Euphorbia spp.) latex, is applied externally for skin disease.

13. A saturating drink of Buttermilk mixed with Bhallataka or Bilva (Aegle marmelos) and Sunthi (dry ginger) or Yavani (Trachyspermum ammi) and Citraka should be given in piles.

14. Bhallataka and Kutaja (Holarrhena pubescens) bark are the best remedies for dry and bleeding piles respectively.

15. One should take Tila combined with Bhallataka which improves digestion and destroys kustha (skin diseases) and piles.

16. Bhallataka one nut is pounded finely and mixed with double quantity of Jaggery. It is taken to eliminate the painful guinea worm.

17. Bhallataka, Haritaki and Jiraka (cumin seeds) are mixed with Jaggery and made into sweet bolus. It alleviates the disease even if severe.

18. Paste containing Sarsapa (mustard), Nimba (neem) leaves and Bhallataka all burned and mixed with goat's urine should be applied to the affected part. It destroys scrofula.

19. Pippali, Pippalimula and Bhallataka nuts - this paste mixed with honey should be taken for urustambha (a condition with pain and swelling of thighs).

20. Tila (sesamum) and Jaggery 640 gms each, Bhallataka - 80 gms intake of this alleviates rheumatic diseases.

21. Bhallataka oil and Snuhi latex mixed together makes good depilatory agent.

22. Bhallataka taila (oil) is applied on the wound scar for normal colour.

23. One should take Bhallataka taila (oil) for a month. Bhallataka rasayana (rejuvenation), Bhallataka vardhamana as a rasayana can also be taken.

24. Milk - 1.28 litres should be cooked with four Bhallataka nuts. This is a potent aphrodisiac.

25. After venesection, thick paste of Dhattura (Datura metel) leaves with Bhallataka juice should be applied locally in alopecia.

26. Bhallataka taila (oil) mixed with Vidanga in half quantity and heated in the sun should be taken. This is a good anthelmintic.

27. In case of poisoned collyrium, flowers of Bhallataka should be applied.

28. Triphala (a group of three fruits: Amalaka, Bibhitaki, and Haritaki), Guduci (Tinospora cordifolia), Pippali and Bhallataka should be used separately with Jaggery on the day of advent of fever.

29. Ghee cooked with paste and decoction of Bhallataka and mixed with sugar should be taken. It alleviates Raktagulma (uterine tumour/tumor). The same taken with honey is efficacious in tumour/tumor caused by Kapha.
FormulationGuggulu tiktakam kasayam, Guggulu tiktaka ghrtam, Amrta bhallataka, Bhallataka taila, Tilaruskara yoga, Bhallataka lepa, Bhallataka ksirapaka, Sanjivani vati.
CommentsFor purification, the fruits are boiled in cow's urine for seven days. Similarly in cow's milk. Then it should be mixed thoroughly with clay powder and washed in water. This is dried in shade. The stalk is removed and used. While taking this internally, butter milk or unctuous materials like oil etc,. should be used.

Synonyms like Vranakrt, Sophakrt reveals its high allergic action on the body. Terms having root Agni denotes its fire like quality. The name Taila bija, is due to the rich oil content.

It is included in Kusthaghna, Dipaniya, Mutra samgrahaniya gana by Caraka and Nyagrodhadi and Mustadi by Susruta.
ReferencesReference book　

Tips！

[2] Indian Medicinal Plants - A Compendium of 500 species, Varier, P.S., Orient Longman Ltd. Chennai (Madras)
Vol. 5 (Repr.1997), pp 98-103.

Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants, 1956. Chopra, R.N., Nayar, S.L. and Chopra, I.C., Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi. - New Edition (1996) National Institute Science Communication; Supplement
p 225.

Illustrated Manual of Herbal Drugs Used in Ayurveda, 1996. Sarin, Y.K., Council of Scientific & Industrial Research and Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi
p 212.

Plants in Ayurveda (A Compendium of Botanical and Sanskrit Names), 1997. Abdul Kareem, M., Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, Bangalore
1467.

Dravyagunavijnana, Vols. 1-5, reprint 1998. Sharma, P.V., Chowkhambha Bharati Academy, Varanasi
Vol. 2, pp 166-170.

Classical uses of Medicinal Plants, 1996. Sharma, P.V., Chaukhambha Visvabharati, Varanasi
p 73.

Last renewal date2023/11/16
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