arka

[sheji ramkumar]

sansrit - arka/arka parna/ vikirana/gana roopa/aspota/vasuka
malayalam - erukk
common name - gigantic swallo wort
latin - Calotropis procera
Family - Asclepiadaceae

guna - reduces vata-kapha,
krimi,kushta,kadu,visha,vrana,hepato-spleeno megaly,piles,bleeding
disorders,ascitis,edema, rabis,rat poison, increases apetite,
eneumarated among that causes
fomentation[swedopagam], emisis[vamanopagam],bhedaneeyam,

susruth- kapha-pitha samak

flower - madura ras, guru.grahi.
latex - reduces krimi, piles,kusht,ascitis, causes
purgation[ virechana sreshta]
leaves -reduces karna sool, vata hara.
root - reduces kaphaja rogas- swasa, kasa,atisara,
peenasa,pravahika, raktha pitha,seetha pitha,grahani,
asrukdhara,vrischika visha. swedan,vaman

red variety - kapha -pitha samak
white variety - kapha -vata samak

dose:
root powder - 1/2 gm - 1 gm
latex[arka ksheera] - 3/4 ml - 1 ml

medicinal uses:

leaf -hot poultice[ upanaha] in ama vath, sleepad, -
apply thaila prepared by leaf juice.
thiala in karna soola
choorna for vrana sodhana-ropana
-fresh leaf as potali sweda in sarpa vish

ksheera -apply in ganda mala,grandi.
-with mustard oil in kusht
-arsa, baldness.
-danta soola
moola swaras- with mareech choorna in sarpa vish.

arka thailam[ oil extracted from seed] -vata-kapha
hara,krimi,kushta,prameha,siroroga hara.

[tanay bose]

Thank you Seji Ji for the great set of pharmacological information
Tanay

--
Tanay Bose
+91(033) 25550676 (Resi)
9830439691(Mobile)
9674221362 (Mobile)

[sheji]

welcome Tanay ji,
could you understand those sanskrit version? its difficult for me to
transalate , by attending my clinic. so if any clarification is needed
please ask, any of us will answer.

Sheji.

> 9674221362 (Mobile)- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[tanay bose]

If I cant understand will ask for
tanay

[Balkar Arya]

Dear Sheji Ji
It looks different from the C procera found in our are
Can it be C gigantea or any other sp
adding my pix of C procera

Regards




--
Dr Balkar Singh
Head, Deptt. of Botany and Biotechnology
Arya P G College, Panipat
Haryana-132103
09416262964

[Dr. Hari Venkatesh.K.Rajaraman]

Dear Sheji ji,

A small correction. . .the Botanical name that you have mentioned for Arka, is Calotropis procera. But the drug in your photograph is actually C. gigantea (Red variety).

Ayurveda explains 2 varieties of Arka Shweta(White) & Rakta(Red)

Scholars are of the opinion that Calotropis has 2 main varieties grown in India.

1.       C. procera (Grown in W & C. India, Punjab, Bihar, Mumbai)

2.      C. gigantea(Grown in Western peninsula & S.India)

The second variety is of 2 types ie. C. gigantea (Red) & C. gigantea (White).

 

The white variety of Calotropis gigantea is indigenous to Rajasthan & Gujarat (which is taken as Shwetarka in Ayurveda)

The red variety of Calotropis gigantea is what we find it to have grown extensively in W.peninsula & South India.

 

So the white variety of C.gigantea has been introduced into S.India especially in temples for its sanctity. (but when we scan through the market samples in South the root of this variety is hardly available).

And the variety which is commonly seen to have grown wild in South India is C.gigantea (Red variety).

And also market samples of Arka in South India are from C.gigantea (red).

C. procera possesses red colored flowers only, but they are smaller in size when compared to the flowers of C. gigantea & this becomes the chief source of Arka especially in the market samples of Northern India.

 

Ayurvedic scholars have confused its identity and say that C.procera is Raktaarka & C. gigantea is Shwetaarka, without being aware on the fact that C.gigantea too possesses red flowers.

 

So To conclude. . .

 

Raktaarka – mainly has two sources

Calotropis procera – smaller red flowers - (Chief source of Raktaarka in N.India)

Calotropis gigantea (red variety) – larger red flowers – (Chief source of Raktaarka in S.India)

 

Shwetaarka – mainly has only one source

 

Calotropis gigantea (White variety) – larger White flowers – (Chief source of Shwetaarka all over the country).

 

So the post of Sheji ji is Calotropis gigantea (Red variety).

 

Critiques & Comments welcome. . .

 

Dr Hari Venkatesh K Rajaraman

 

[Dr. Hari Venkatesh.K.Rajaraman]

Extending a warm Welcome Balkar Ji. . . to Bodhi Nighantu. . .

Thanks for the clarifications made Balkar ji. . .the post of yours is exactly C.procera. . .i hope the informations i had provided might help in clarifying the sources . . . 

Thank You

[sheji]

Thank you Balkar ji & Hari for correcting me.

Sheji.

On May 5, 8:02 pm, "Dr. Hari Venkatesh.K.Rajaraman"

[Balkar Arya]

Your Welcome Sir

[Gurcharan Singh]

Hari ji

Yes this white flowered one is C. gigantea. It may have have both red flowered and white flowered plants. The two species are differentiated as below:

C. procera: Flower buds subglobose; corolla 1.5-2 cm across; lobes broadly ovate or ovate-triangular, 0.7-1 cm long;  corona lobes equalling or exceeding gynostegium, straight on back above spur; apex bifid without auricles.

C. gigantea: Flower buds cylindrical; corolla 2.5-3.5 cm across; lobes long ovate or oblong, 1-1.5 cm long, reflexed; corona lobes shorter than gynostegium, curved on back above spur; apex rounded with two auricles.

I am uploading my photographs.

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

[sheji]

thanks guruji,
now its clear for me

sheji.

On May 5, 8:45 pm, Gurcharan Singh <singh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hari ji
> Yes this white flowered one is C. gigantea. It may have have both red
> flowered and white flowered plants. The two species are differentiated as
> below:
>
> C. procera: Flower buds subglobose; corolla 1.5-2 cm across; lobes broadly
> ovate or ovate-triangular, 0.7-1 cm long;  corona lobes equalling or
> exceeding gynostegium, straight on back above spur; apex bifid without
> auricles.
>
> C. gigantea: Flower buds cylindrical; corolla 2.5-3.5 cm across; lobes long
> ovate or oblong, 1-1.5 cm long, reflexed; corona lobes shorter than
> gynostegium, curved on back above spur; apex rounded with two auricles.
>
> I am uploading my photographs.
>
> --
> Dr. Gurcharan Singh
> Retired  Associate Professor
> SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
> Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.

> Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/

> > *So To conclude. . .*
>
> > *Raktaarka – mainly has two sources*

>
> > Calotropis procera – smaller red flowers - (Chief source of Raktaarka in
> > N.India)
>
> > Calotropis gigantea (red variety) – larger red flowers – (Chief source of
> > Raktaarka in S.India)
>

> > *Shwetaarka – mainly has only one source*

>
> > Calotropis gigantea (White variety) – larger White flowers – (Chief source
> > of Shwetaarka all over the country).
>
> > So the post of Sheji ji is Calotropis gigantea (Red variety).
>
> > Critiques & Comments welcome. . .
>
> > Dr Hari Venkatesh K Rajaraman
>
>
>

>  Calotropis-gigantea-Delhi-1.jpg
> 125KViewDownload
>
>  Calotropis-gigantea-Delhi-2.jpg
> 170KViewDownload
>
>  Calotropis-procera-Delhi-1.jpg
> 233KViewDownload
>
>  Calotropis-procera-Delhi-2.jpg
> 215KViewDownload- Hide quoted text -

[Dr. Hari Venkatesh.K.Rajaraman]

Thank You so much Guru ji. . .

for the clarifications made. . .

Excellent photographs sir ji. . .i will also post a closer view of C.gigantea red variety tomorrow. . .

Now i think all the things might be extra clear to all the members. . .

Thank You

Dr Hari Venkatesh

[sheji]

antidote for arka poisoning:

internally-

1. fresh juice of indigo leaf
2.sugar mixed with water
3. tamarind leaf juice mixed with water
4. castor oil

caused by arka ksheera - decotion made by tila[sesam], mixed with
jaggery.

On May 5, 11:05 pm, "Dr. Hari Venkatesh.K.Rajaraman"

[Dr. Hari Venkatesh.K.Rajaraman]

Dear members. .

..So we have Balkar Ji & Guru ji who have contributed the photos of C.procera from north india.  ..And me & Guru ji have posted C.gigantea white varieties....So hereby am adding up the photos of the flowers of C.gigantea (Red / violet) variety....this might clear the confusions in the existing Calotropis species in India.

 

Dear all the members pls do refer all the pictures in the post & appreciate the similarities and Dissimilarities in all the 3 plants C.procera, C.gigantea(White), C.gigantea(Red)

 

Thank You

Dr Hari Venkatesh K Rajaraman

[Dinesh Valke]

Calotropis gigantea ... is commonly known as: bowstring hemp, calotrope, crown flower, giant milkweed, swallow-wort • Bengali: আকন্দ aakanda • Hindi: अर्क arka, सफ़ैद आक safed aak • Malayalam: ചുവന്നഎരിക്ക് chuvannaerikk, വെള്ളെരിക്ക് vellerikk • Manipuri: অংকোত angkot • Marathi: अर्क arka, अर्की arki, रुई rui, रुइटी ruiti • Sanskrit: alarka, अर्क arka, अर्की arki, हृस्वअग्निः hrasvagnih, सदापुष्प sadapushpa • Tamil: எருக்கு erukku, மலையெருக்கு malaiyerukku • Telugu: జిల్లేడి పువ్వు jilledi puvvu, జిల్లేడు jilledu, నల్లజిల్లేడు nallajilledu, ఉచ్చింత uccinta, ఉచ్చిత uchchinta


Calotropis procera ... is commonly known as: apple of Sodom, auricula tree, calotrope, Dead Sea apple, desert wick, giant milkweed, king's crown, rooster tree, rubber bush, small crownflower • Bengali: আকন্দ akanda • Gujarati: આકડો aakdo • Hindi: अर्क arka, अर्की arki, मुदर mudar, सफ़ैद आक safed-ak • Kannada: bili yekkada gida, kempu ekka • Malayalam: ചിറ്റെരിക്ക് chiterikk • Marathi: अर्क arka, अर्की arki • Sanskrit: अलर्क alarka, अर्क arka, अर्की arki, श्वेतार्क shwetarka • Tamil: வெள்ளை எருக்கு vellai erukku, வெள்ளெருக்கு vellerukku • Telugu: అలర్కశాకము alarkasakamu, జిల్లేడు jilledu


Regards.

[Gurcharan Singh]

Yes Hari ji

Clearly C. gigantea, characters are unambiguous

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

On Thu, May 6, 2010 at 5:53 PM, Dinesh Valke <dinesh...@gmail.com> wrote:

Calotropis gigantea ... is commonly known as: bowstring hemp, calotrope, crown flower, giant milkweed, swallow-wort • Bengali: আকন্দ aakanda • Hindi: अर्क arka, सफ़ैद आक safed aak • Malayalam: ചുവന്നഎരിക്ക് chuvannaerikk, വെള്ളെരിക്ക് vellerikk • Manipuri: অংকোত angkot • Marathi: अर्क arka, अर्की arki, रुई rui, रुइटी ruiti • Sanskrit: alarka, अर्क arka, अर्की arki, हृस्वअग्निः hrasvagnih, सदापुष्प sadapushpa • Tamil: எருக்கு erukku, மலையெருக்கு malaiyerukku • Telugu: జిల్లేడి పువ్వు jilledi puvvu, జిల్లేడు jilledu, నల్లజిల్లేడు nallajilledu, ఉచ్చింత uccinta, ఉచ్చిత uchchinta


Calotropis procera ... is commonly known as: apple of Sodom, auricula tree, calotrope, Dead Sea apple, desert wick, giant milkweed, king's crown, rooster tree, rubber bush, small crownflower • Bengali: আকন্দ akanda • Gujarati: આકડો aakdo • Hindi: अर्क arka, अर्की arki, मुदर mudar, सफ़ैद आक safed-ak • Kannada: bili yekkada gida, kempu ekka • Malayalam: ചിറ്റെരിക്ക് chiterikk • Marathi: अर्क arka, अर्की arki • Sanskrit: अलर्क alarka, अर्क arka, अर्की arki, श्वेतार्क shwetarka • Tamil: வெள்ளை எருக்கு vellai erukku, வெள்ளெருக்கு vellerukku • Telugu: అలర్కశాకము alarkasakamu, జిల్లేడు jilledu

[sushrutha ck]

Dear hari ji,

 It's a wonderful information regarding the drug Arka..,especially it,s botanical identity and market samples.

 

Regards

Sushrutha

 

[VEENA NAIK]

HI Sushruth sir, Wel-come....

[sushrutha ck]

Veena ji,

 

Thankyou....