Note: This is a project under development. The articles on this wiki are just being initiated and broadly incomplete. You can Help creating new pages.

Anacyclus pyrethrum - Akarkara, Pellitory

From Ayurwiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Akarkara, Anacyclus pyrethrum

Anacyclus pyrethrum is a perennial herb. It is in a different family (Asteraceae) from the plants known as pellitory-of-the-wall (Parietaria officinalis) and spreading pellitory. The ancient Indian medicine system and Siddha have uses for this plant root and it has been used for centuries as a medicine.An oil is prepared by a method known as pit extraction.

Uses

Tentex forte, Muscle & Joint Rub, Impotency, Erectile dysfunction, Diarrhoea, Pharyngitis, Sore Throat, Toothache, Pyorrhea, Common Cold, Childhood apraxia of speech, Delayed Speech Development.

Parts Used

Dried Roots, Leaves, Flowers.

Chemical Composition

Analysis has shown a brown, resinous, acrid substance, insoluble in potassium hydroxide and probably containing pelletonin, two oils soluble in potassium hydroxide - one dark brown and acrid, the other yellow - tannin, gum, potassium sulphate and carbonate, potassium chloride, calcium phosphate and carbonate, silica, alumina, lignin, etc. An alkaloid, Pyrethrine, yielding pyrethric acid, is stated to be the active principle.[1]

Common names

Language Common name
Kannada
Hindi Akarkara
Malayalam Akkarakaaram
Tamil AkkirKaram [2]
Telugu
Marathi NA
Gujarathi NA
Punjabi NA
Kashmiri NA
Sanskrit Akarkarabh
English Pellitory


Properties

Reference: Dravya - Substance, Rasa - Taste, Guna - Qualities, Veerya - Potency, Vipaka - Post-digesion effect, Karma - Pharmacological activity, Prabhava - Therepeutics.

Dravya

Rasa

Katu (Pungent)

Guna

Ruksha (Dry), Teekshna (Hot)

Veerya

Ushna (Hot)

Vipaka

Katu (Pungent)

Karma

Kapa, vata

Prabhava

Habit

Procumbent herb

Identification

Leaf

Kind Shape Feature
Smooth Alternate, Pinnate The leaves are with deeply-cut segments

[3]

Flower

Type Size Color and composition Stamen More information
Unisexual 14-18cm long Yellow, Circular Each bears one large flower the disk being yellow and the rays white, tinged with purple beneath.

Fruit

Type Size Mass Appearance Seeds More information
Syncarp (sorosis), subglobose or ellipsoid with long echinate processes, orange when ripe seeds many, ovoid. {{{6}}}

Other features

List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used

Akkalkarbhadi Churnam (अक्कलकरभादि चूर्ण)[2]

Where to get the saplings

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Cuttings.

How to plant/cultivate

Seed - requires about 3 weeks cold stratification. Germination is best at a temperature around 13 - 16°c[4]

Commonly seen growing in areas

Mediterranian, Himalayas, Arabian countries.

Photo Gallery

References

External Links