Botanical name – Oroxylum indicum Linn.
Family - Bignonaceae
Hindi name - Sonapatha
English name – Broken bones tree, midnight
Sanskrit names – Shyonak, Tuntuka, Pruthushimbi, Shukanasa, Kutannat ,
Katwang, Mandukparna , Patrona, Deerghavrunta, Aralu .
Yellow Shyonak - Bhallak, Deerghavrunta, Peetavruksha, Tentook,
Bhootasara, Munidruma, Neesaar, Kunat, Virechan.
Botanical Description - Aralu is a big tree of 10 to 12 metres height.
Leaves are also big. Legume is very long and wide like a sword. Therefore
Its name is pruthushimbi. Leaf and flower stalks are also long
(deerghavrunta). Flowers -red or purple. Petals of flowers have a bad smell
and are fleshy. Seeds- shallow with wings, 0.75 cm. long and 1 cm. broad. It
has some cotton also.
Habitat - All over India and Sri lanka.
Chemical composition - Baicalein, Tetuin, Oroxindin, Chrysin, Prunetin,
B-sitosterol etc.
( Referance – Illustrated Dravyaguna Vijnana, Vol. ll, by Dr JLN Shastry)
Therapeutics Properties -
Guna (qualities) – Laghu (lightness) ,ruksha(dryness)
Rasa(Taste) - Madhur, Tikta, Kashaya
Veerya- Ushna (Hot potency)
Vipak - Katu (taste conversion after digestion pungent)
Dosha - tridoshaghna.
Shyonak is very useful on ama.
Uses-
External uses - Root bark is useful in amavata, its kashaya i.e. decoction is
used for external application as well as for internal use.
Dashamoola contains shyonak.
Intern uses –
Digestive system - The juice of the root bark is useful in loss of appetite, anorexia ,worms, loose motions, amoebiasis, Inflammation etc.
It is also used in disorders caused by ama.
Respiratory system - Useful in cough, asthma.
Urinary system - Cystitis. As it is a diaphoretic, it is used in disorders caused by obstruction of sweat.
Parts used - Root bark, fruit
Dosage - Ghana satva (water extract) – upto 1 gm, in divided dose,per day
powder - 3 to 6 mg
decoction in water - 40 to 80 ml.
Formulations - Dashamoolarishta, Dhanwantram taila .
(Reference - Ayurvedic pharmacology & Therapeutic uses of Medicinal plants) for more information about health and ayurveda ,stay connected with us