1. COMPILATION
WORK ON BALA

2. Introduction to drug
• The drug ‘BALA’ is a herb belongs to
malvaceae family i.e. karpas kula the latin name of this
is Sida cordifolia. It is found in Karnataka ,Punjab,
North and West ,all over India , East Pakistan.The
reference in Veda i.e. Atharvaveda and Samaveda and
also reference in samhitas and Nighantus..
•In Amarkosha the reference is found in
vanoushadhi varga
•Caraka described BALA under MADHURA
SKANDHA
•Susruta also quoted BALA under MADHURA
DRAVYAS

3. •BALA
•LATIN NAME:- Sida cordifolia
•(sida –old name for water lily &
cordifolia-heart shape)
•FAMILY NAME:-Malvaceae
•KULA:- Karpas kula

4. CLASSIFICATION OF BALA ACCORDING TO DIFFERENT
CLASSICAL TEXTS
S.N
.
Name of Book Gana/varga
1 Charak Samhita Balya,Bramhaniya,Madhursk
anda,Prajasthapana
2 Sushruta Samhita Vata Samshamana
3 Astanga Hridaya Aushadha Varga
4 Bhava Prakasha
Nighantu
Guduchyadi Varga

5. VERNACULAR NAMES
Though the drug will be known by the
scientific name now a days, still the
knowledge of local names in regional
languages is very essential to achieve the
drug from any region.
 Bengal - Barila , Svetaberela
 English - Country mallow
 Gujarat - Bal, Bala
 Hindi - Bariyar , Khiriti
 Kannada - Bekkin tele gida
 Malyalam - Vellurum
 Marathi - Chikana
{Indian Medicinal Plants}

6. SYNONYMS OF BALA
• Bala
• Bhadra
• Bhadrabala
• Bhadraudani
• Pitapuspi
• Kharayastika
• Sheetpaki
• Vatya
• Vatyalaka
• Vatyalika
• Vatyayani
• Vijjala
• Viryavati
• Visadushan

7. HABITAT
Natural distribution is observed by cultivation
and naturalization.
Along with other species are common through
out the tropical
and subtropical plains all over India .wild along
the road side.
{Indian Materia Medica.}

8. CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF
FAMILY MALVACEAE
• Habit - There are herbs, shrubs or trees.
• Leaves- The leaves are simple, alternate and
palmetely veins.There are 2 free stipules. These
are lateral.
• Flowers- These are regular, polypetalous,
bisexual, hypogynous and copiously
mucilaginous. They have a whorl of bracteoles
known as epicalyx.
• Calyx- There are 5 sepals they are united and
valavate.
• Corolla- There are 5 free petals, attached to
the base of
the staminal tube.
• Fruit- The fruit with pair of awns on each
carpel
• Seed- The seed is endospermic.
{BOTANYA.C.Datta.}

9. BOTINICAL DESCRIPTION
•Habit-It may be herb or shrub, 2-5 feet height, branched,
softly hairy and with much stellate hair nearly all over
and subpersistent.
•Leaves-Cordate, ovate oblong, are entire smooth
margined 1-3 inch length, 1-2 inch breadth with stellate
hairs.
•Flowers-Yellow or white in colour, having 5 sepals and 5
petals, tightly twisted in bud.
•Fruits :-Fruits like mudga in shape 6-8 mm in diameter
•Seed-Black coloured small in size.
•Root-These are very strong in nature.
{ Ref. Indian Medical Plants}

10. S.N. Name of
book
types Latin name
1 Charak
samhita
Baladvaya
-Bala
-Atibala
Sida cordifolia
Abutilon indicum
2
Sushruta
samhita
Balatraya
-Bala
-Atibala
-Nagabala
Sida cordifolia
Abutilon indicum
Sida
vernaceafolia
3
B.P.K.
Nighantu
Balachatustaya
- Bala
- Atibala
- Nagabala
- Mahabala
Sida cordifolia
Abutilon indicum
Sida
vernaceafolia
Sida
rhombofolia
VARITIES

11. •In utter Pradesh bala has a sida
rhombifolia
•In some parts of India, bala is used as
Atibala.
{ Vanoushadh Nidarshika }
CONTROVERSY

12. Chemical Constitients
Whole plant contains alkaloids to the extent
of 0.085%
Seed contains much larger quantities i.e.
0.32% of alkaloid also, Contains fatty oil
phytosterol, mucins, potassium
nitrate,ephedrine, resin acids etc.
{ Indian Materia Medica }

13. INDICATION:Raktapitta,vata
vyadhi,prameha,kashaya

14. •PART USED
•ROOTS
•LEAVES
•SEEDS

15. POSOLOGY
Patra swarasa 1-2 Tola
Baladhya ghruta -3-6 Masha
Beejachurna -1-4 gm
Panchanga -1 Tola
Kashaya -50 -100 ml

16. Systemic action :
Dosa Karma :Because of snigdha, madhur vata
mitigates and also because of sheeta pitta
mitigates
External Uses :Vedana sthapana, Shothahara, Bala
tail is used in external application in stiff neck
facial paralysis, noise in the ears with headache.
Internal Uses :
•Nervous System : Bala acts as balya for naadi and
also vatahara property it is also useful in diseases
like pakshaghat Aardita, Vatavikar etc.
•Digestive system : Acts as graahi it is also useful
in grahani roga
•Circulatory System : Acts as hridya and rakta
pittashamak also used in hrid dourbalya rakta pitta
and uraha kshata.
•Reproductive system : Acts as shukral,
prajashaapana, because of madhur,sheeta snigdha
and picchila guna increases oja and acts as
rasayana.
•Urinary System : Acts as mutral and used in
mutrakruchha.

17. Important Preparation
•Bala taila,(S.U)
•Kshira bala taila (B.R)
•Bala guducyddi taila, (B.R)
•Candana lakshadi taila
,(B.R)

18. CLASSICAL USES OF BALA
• Diarrhoea : In case of dehydration if
digestion is good the patient should be
treated with milk cooked with bala and sunthi
followed by intake of jaggery mixed with oil
in the morning.(BP.Ci 2.111)
•Goitre : Intake of oil cooked with bala and
atibala along with devadaru and efficacious
in goiter.
•Bleeding piles : Liquid gruel made of
parched paddy and processed with bala and
prsniparni cheks bleeding immediately.
•Rasayana : Balarasayana
(s.s. ci 27,10)
•Filaria : One who takes two types of
bala ( bala and atibala ) with milk in
morning.
{ Classical uses of Medicinal Plants }