Botanical name : Nicotiana tabacum Linn.
Family : Solanaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Tamaghu, Taamraparna, Dhuumrapatraa
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta, Katu
Guna : Lakhu.
Virya : Ushna
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Tobacco
Hindi : Tamaku, Tampaku
Malayalam : Pukaila, Pukayila
Unani : Tambaakhu
Distribution – Cultivated in dry warmer parts in India
PLANT DESCRIPTION
An annual erect herbaceous plant grows up to 1 meter in height. Leaves simple, ovate, oblong-lanceolate or elliptic; flowers light red, white or pink in many flowered panicled racemes; fruits narrowly elliptic, ovoid capsules, seeds many and brown colored.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, dental caries, inflammations, worm infestations, dyspepsia, arthritis, lumbago, rheumatism, gout, flatulence, hemorrhages, bronchitis, asthma, scabies, skin diseases, ulcers, rhinitis, tubercular glands of the neck, sexual weakness and as a brain tonic. In higher dose this is sedative and toxic.
Useful part : Leaves.
CHEMICAL CONTENTS
The plant contains nicotine as the major alkaloid. Toxic influence of cigarette and bidi smoking on carboxyhaemoglobin levels of the blood of regular smokers was compared and no significant difference was observed in both of them. A pyrolysed tobacco product, used in India as a dentifrice, when administered to rats, showed activity comparable to benzo(a)pyrene, a potent carcinogen. Habitual consumption of betel quid containing tobacco shows a strong cytotoxic potential. Nicotiana rustica Linn. is known as Kalakatiyaa or Vfilaayati tobacco. Its nicotine content is high and is not suitable for cigarettes, cigars or bidis. Different variants of this tobacco are used for hookah, chewing and snuff.
Photo : Dr. Nandkumar Sahni MD
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