Dhataki - Woodfordia Fruticosa, W. floribunda - Anti-leucorrhea activity - Anti-fertility activity - Immuno-active constituents

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Division: Magnoliophyta Powered by Translate
Dhataki - Woodfordia Fruticosa, W. floribunda
Class:Magnoliopsida
Order:Myrtales
Dhataki [Woodfordia fruticosa] is common in Sri Lanka, South Konkan and on the
Family:Lythraceae
Ghats and ascends the Himalayas to 1500 m, but is rarer in South India. Dhataki
Genus:Woodfordia
(Fire Flame Bush) is a spreading, leafy shrub, small in size but very conspicuous on
Species: Woodfordia Fruticosa, W.
dry, rocky hillsides from December to May, when the masses of little fiery bells give
floribunda
a bright touch of color to the drab terrain. It is a deciduous shrub, usually with a
Sanskrit: Dhataki, Parvati, Bahupuspika,
much-fluted stem. The grey bark is exceedingly thin and peels off in flakes. When in
Tamrapushpi
flower the bush appears twiggy and formless but entirely swathed in red. This is
English: Fire Flame Bush, Red Bell Bush
because the small flowers grow singly or in groups all the way along the branches
Hindi: Dhawai, Dhai phul
and side twigs, and it is at this time that the leaves fall.
Marathi: Dowari oTamil: Velakkai
Malayalam: Tatiripuspi
Constituents:
Telugu: Jargi seringi, Godari
The extracts of Woodfordia fruticosa flowers showed the presence of
Kannada: Tamrapuspi
carbohydrates, gums, flavonoids, sterols and phenolic compounds/tannins. HPTLC
Oriya: Dhobo
studies of extract 1 at 254 nm showed the presence of four spots (with Rf of 0.04,
Konkani: Dhauri
0.19, 0.32, 0.40), extract 2 showed the presence five spots (with Rf of 0.06, 0.20,
Urdu: Jetiko
0.32, 0.40, 0.56), extract 3 showed the presence six spots (with Rf of 0.06, 0.19,
Gujarati: Dhawani
0.32, 0.40, 0.57, 0.67). The plates were sprayed with 5% alcoholic FeCl 3 reagent
Part used - Flower, Bark, Leaves
to check the presence of tannins. Extract 1 showed three blue-black spots at Rf of
0.05, 0.19, 0.34; extract 2 and extract 3 each showed two blue-black spots at Rf of
0.21, 0.34, indicating the presence of tannins.
Medicinal Uses:
The flowers are acrid, astringent, styptic, depurative, utreine sadative, constipating,
antibacterial, corrective of urinary pigments, febrifuge and alexeteric. They are
useful in the conditions of kapha and pitta, leprosy, burning sensation, skindiseases,
diarrhoea, dysentery, fever, headache, hemorrhoids, herpes, internal hemorrhage,
leukorrhea, liver disorders, menorrhagia, ulcers, wounds. Juice of leaves are used
in bilious sickness. They are also valued as a stimulant in pregnancy.
Studies on Woodfordia fruticosa :
1) Anti-fertility activity:
Anti-fertility activity of dried flowers of Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz is studied with
various solvents and individually with water and aqueous alcohol (50:50). Antifertility
activity of successive alcoholic, individual aqueous and individual hydroalcoholic
extracts was studied in female albino rats.
Ayurveda Actions
Proven fertile male and female Wistar rats (150-200 g) were used for the study. - Dashaprasamana -
The protocol was approved by the IAEC (No. CUSCP/IAEC/02/2002-2003). The decreasing burning sensation.
Pharmacological data rats were maintained at room temperature with natural daylight and given a - Jwaraghna - anti pyretic
Rasa (taste): Kashaya (astringent), Katu standard pellet diet with water ad libitum. Female rats were divided into the - Krumighna - destroys
(pungent) Parasites
following four groups: Group I - control group - received distilled water orally.
Guna (quality): Laghu (light), Ruksha (dry) - Kushthaghna - skin conditions
Group II - received successive alcoholic extract (100 mg/kg body weight). Group III
Virya (energy): Shita (cooling) - Mutravirajaniya - normalises
- received 50% hydroalcoholic extract (100 mg/kg body weight). Group IV -
Vipaka (post digestive effect): Katu (pungent) colour of urine
received water extract (100 mg/kg body weight).
Prabhava (Special quality): none - Rakta Pitta Shamaka - pacify
Dosha Effect: KP- rakta pitta disorders
The average number of implantation sites for all the treatment groups was lower as
Dhatus (tissues): Rakta, Majja - Rakta sstambhana - stops
compared to the control. This is an indication of antifertility activity. There was no
Srotas (channels): Raktavaha, Annavaha bleeding
significant difference in the average size of implantation sites for control and all the
Principal Constituents: - Sandhaniya - bone fractures
treatment group animals. For extract 1, which was successive alcoholic extract, the
Woodfordins A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and - Stambhana - prevents
average number of implantation sites was 7.0, but the average number of litters
were identified from the flowers. expulsion of fluids
delivered was 4.0. This decrease in number of implantation sites may be due to
- Swedajanana - promotes
resorption of foetus. This is a strong indication of abortifacient activity. For individual
References sweating
hydroalcoholic extract (extract 2) and individual aqueous extract (extract 3), the
[1] Khushalani H, Tatke P, Singh KK. Antifertility - Vranaropana - wound healing
average number of implantation sites was 6.2 and 7.0 respectively, but the average
activity of dried flowers of Woodfordia fruticosa properties
number of litters delivered was 5.0 and 6.2 respectively. Among all the three
kurz. Indian J Pharm Sci [serial online] 2006 [cited
2012 Mar 16];68:528-9. Available from:
extracts tested, successive alcoholic extract showed maximum abortifacient activity
Important Combinations
http://www.ijpsonline.com/text.asp?2006/68/4/528 of 43%, which was found to be statistically significant ( P < 0.05) [Table - 1] .
- Dhatakyadi churna (skin
/27838 Individual aqueous and individual hydroalcoholic extract, though, showed moderate
diseases, menorrhagia,
[2] N. P. Patil, A comparative study Majuphala & activity of 12 and 20%; however, it was not statistically significant [1].
diarrhea, UTI, fever);
Dhataki puspha in the management of sweta
pradara, RGUHS, 2007
Dhatakyadi taila (Skin
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[3] Kroes BH, Vanden Berg AJJ, Abeysekera AM, 2) Anti-leucorrhea activity: diseases),
De Silva KTD & Labadie RP, Fermentation in A clinical study of Majuphala powder & Dhataki pushpa powder to assess the effect - Laghu gangadhara churna
traditional medicine: the impact of Woodfordia
in leucorrhea is undertaken on 30 patients, were divided in three groups Group A of (gastric ulcers, diarrhea
fruticosa flowers on the immunomodulatory activity
10 patients were received Majuphala Churna for 21 days & internally Yonidhavan
and the alcohol and sugar contents of Nimba
arishta, J Ethnopharmacol, 40 (1993) 117-125. done with Majuphala Decoction for 10 days. Group B 0f 10 patients received
[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article internally Dhataki pushpa powder externally yonidhavana with Dhataki pushpa
/pii/037887419390056B] powder for 10 days. Group C of 10 patients (Control group) were received wheat
flour in above said same manner.
Resources:
- http://www.ayurwiki.info/wiki/dhataki The research work was concluded as follows-
- http://www.oshims.com/herb-directory/d/dhataki
- http://www.flowersofindia.in/catalog/slides
- Group A (Majuphala) & B (Dhataki) had shown highly significant results in both
/Fire%20Flame%20Bush.html cordial & associated symptoms of leucorrhea as compared to control group.
- http://www.ecoplanet.in/Herbsandplants/WoodfordiaFruticosa.htm
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodfordia_fruticosa - In local pathology group A (Majuphala) & Group B (Dhataki) showed significant
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article results in group A (Majuphala) in cervisitis the results were significant.
/pii/S0378874106006726
- Group B (Dhataki) showed significant results in Hb% [2].
3) Immuno-active constituents in W. fruticosa
Fermentation of both preparations (Asava & Arista) is brought about by the addition
of a source of sugar with dhataki (Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz) flowers. Dhataki is
fermentation initiator and jaggery as a source of sugar in Asava & Arista
manufacturing. The use of Woodfordia flowers in model preparations resulted in a
substantial increase of the inhibition of both human complement activity and
chemiluminescence generated by zymosan-stimulated human polymorphonuclear
leukocytes. It was established that the increased biological activity was not due to
microbial interference, but to immuno-active constituents released from the
Woodfordia flowers. Experiments performed with yeasts isolated from commercial
Nimba arishtas showed, in agreement with empirical findings, significantly raised
alcohol content upon addition of Woodfordia. [3].
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