Rubia Cordifolia

Botanical Name: Rubia cordifolia Linn.

Family: Rubiaceae

Introduction:

Mañjisthã’s usage dates back to vedic period. In Aitareya Aranyaka Mañjistã is described. At present it is used mainly as natural colouring agent in the fabrics industry.

Names in different Indian languages

English	Indian Madder, Bengal Madder.
Hindi	Manjetha
Kannada	Manjusta, citravalli, somalate, siragatti
Malayalam	Mancatti, covvalikkoti, sivolikkoti, kora valli
Sanskrit	Manjishthaa, yojana valli
Tamil	Manjetti
Telugu	Tamravalli, manjistatiga, ciranji
Unani	Manjeeth
Folk

Synonyms

Manjishthaa, Vikasaa, Samangaa, Yojanavalli, Kaalameshika, Raktaangi, Raktayashtikaa, Arunaa, Gandira, Jingi.

Rubia munjesta Roxb

Classification according to Charaka, Susrutha & Vagbhata

Charaka	Jvarahara, Varnya, Visaghna
Susrutha	Priyangvadi, Pittasamsamana
Vagbhata	Priyangvadi

Varieties & adulterants – (CV – controversy, AD – adulterants)

1. Rubia tinctorium

2. Rubia ibrica

3. Swertia chirat [AD]

4. Oldenlandia umbellata linn (Hedyotis umbellata) [AD]

5. Hedyotis hispila [AD]

6. Hedyotis indica [AD]

Morphology

Perennial, herbaceous, climbing plant. stems often many feet’s long, rough grooved; bark white.

Leaves – simple,4-8x 2-3cm., in whorls of 2-8, often only 4, ovate, acute, lower leaves are larger than the upper; base rounded or cordate; petioles triangular.

Flowers- in terminal panicled glabrous cymes; branches chotomous, spreading; bracts leafy. colyx 0.85 mm long; tubular, glabrous. Corolla- greenish, divided nearly to the base; five lobed, ovate, acute 2-4 mm long. Styles two; stigma globose.

Fruit- 4-6 mm. diameter ,digamous or globose, 2 lobed, purplish black when ripen.

Distribution & Habitat

Found throughout India in hilly areas; now being cultivated at various places

Chemical constituents:

Anthraquinones, xanthopurpurin, peudopurpurin, munjistin, purpuroxanthin, rubiatriol. rubicoumaric acid, rubifolic acid, pseudopurpunin, alizarin, rubiadin, rubimallin, purpurin

Properties:

Rasa Madhura, Tikta

Guna Guru, Rüka

Virya Usna

Vipãka Katu

Karma – Kapha-pittahara, Varnya, Visaghna, rasayana, kushtaghna,

blood purifier, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, deobstruent, antidysenteric, antiseptic, digestive, carminative

Srotogamitva:

Dosha : kapha pittahara

Dhatu :raktha, mamsa

Mala :purisha

Organ : liver, skin

Indication:

Jvara, Mütrakrcchra, Prameha, Kustha, Visarpa, Varyna, sotha, Raktãtisãra, Netra roga

Skin disease, urinogenital disorders, vwounds,jaundice, dysentery; piles, ulcers, inflammations; erysipelas, skin diseases and rheumatism

Part used:

Whole plant (mainly root)

Dosage:

Leaf juice 10-15 ml

Powder 2-4 g

Decoction 50-100 ml

Internal uses:

Nervous system It gives relief to brain and nerves. Thus it is useful in nervous system disorders (But if given in excessive doses, it creates mania hallucinations.)

Digestive system It is a good appetizer (deepan) and has good digestive capacity (pachan). It has astringent property that reduces motility and is Anthelemintic. Therefore if is used in loss of appetite, amadosha, diarrhoea, dysentery associated with bleeding and different helminthes.

Circulatory system Being haemostatic, used in many blood disorders, raktapitta and skin disorders, ulcers,. erysipelas etc.

Reproductive system It stimulates uterus. It increases menstrual flow and it purifies breast milk. Therefore used in dysmenorrhoea, secondary amenorrhoea. It is used to purify uterus and breast milk after delivery. It also reduces fever.

Urinary system It is antidiabetic, especially in manlishthameha, a type of pittaja prameha. In renal calculi, 1gm. manjishtha powder is’ given three times a day for 1 week. This removes the renal stone.

Skin It is used in skin diseases like leprosy, vitiligo and hypopigmentation. In these conditions manjishtha is given, in honey. Dhatuga,nltva External as well as internal use of majishtha, aijuna bark, yashthimadhu andsugandhi vala is beneficial in fractures.

Temperature It is used in fever, especially chronic pyrexia and fever after delivery.

Satmikaran: It has been proved beneficial in different skin disorders related with pigmentation, weakness, general debility. Manjishtha improves voice.

Important Yogas or Formations:

pinda taila, Maha Mañjiãdi kvãtha, Laghu Mañjisthãdi kvãtha Manjistadyaraka Mañjisthädi lepa Mañjihãditailá, Sinduradi taila, Trnaka taila, Pañca tikta guggula grhta, Nava kasaya, Adityapaka taila.

Therapeutic Uses:

(1) Manjiistha Mehá : Manjista and Cañdana Kasaya is useful (S.S.Ci.l 119).

(2) Arsas- In bleeding piles ghee prepared with Mañjistha and sigru should be given (S.SCi.6/9)

(3) Kandabhagna- Mañjtha and Madhuka are made into paste using Amlà dravyas and applied externally (V.M.)

(4) decoction useful in washing the ulcers.