Botanical name : Pistacia chinensis Bunge. (Pistacia integerrima (Stewart) Rich.f.)
Family : Anacardiaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Karkatashringi, Shringi, Karkatashringikaa, Karkata
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta, Kashaya
Guna : Lakhu
Virya : Ushna
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English :
Hindi : Kakkatasimgi, Kakkra
Malayalam : Karkatashringi, Karkatakashringi
Unani : Kaakraasingi, Kakar
Distribution – Throughout Himalayan valleys in India
PLANT DESCRIPTION
A moderate sized deciduous tree, grows up to 18m high with dark grey or blackish bark; leaves pinnately compound, leaflets lanceolate; flowers small, reddish in lateral panicles; fruits globose drupes, grey when ripe.
Galls produced on the leaves are used commercially as karkkatashringi. They persist for long periods on branches after the escape of the aphids. This gall is due to the attack of an insect Dasia aedifactor (Homoptera).
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated tridosha, asthma, cough, hiccough, dysentery, diarrhea, ulcers, bronchitis, fever, psoriasis, skin diseases, dyspepsia, inflammations, fever, anorexia, pharyngitis, leucorrhoea and general debility.
Useful part : Galls
CHEMICAL CONTENTS
The tetracyclic triterpenes, pistacigerrimones A, B and C have been isolated from the galls produced on the leaves. Alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, alpha-phellandrene and delta-carene are major constituents of the essential oil extracted from galls. The oil is reported to exhibit CNS depressant, antispasmodic, carminative and antibacterial, antiprotozoal, antiamoebic, anthelmintic activities.
Dosage - Gall 3-6 g powder. (API, Vol. I.)
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Future of Ayurveda - Malayalam
Properties 