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African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines
African Ethnomedicines Network
ISSN: 0189-6016
Vol. 9, No. 1, 2012, pp. 105-111
Bioline Code: tc12015
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge

African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2012, pp. 105-111

 en EFFECT OF PURIFICATORY MEASURES THROUGH COW'S URINE AND MILK ON STRYCHNINE AND BRUCINE CONTENT OF KUPEELU ( STRYCHNOS NUXVOMICA check for this species in other resources LINN.) SEEDS
Mitra, Swarnendu; Shukla, V J & Acharya, Rabinarayan

Abstract

Strychnos nux vomica check for this species in other resources Linn.(Loganaceae) commonly known as Nux vomica (Kupeelu), is a poisonous plant and its seeds are used widely in Ayurvedic system of medicine since time immemorial. Ayurveda advocates that nux vomica seeds are to be administered in therapeutics only after going through certain purificatory measures (Shodhana). There are more than six media: cow's urine (Go mutra), cow's milk (Go dugdha), cow’s ghee (Go ghrita), Kanji (thin gruel), castor oil (Eranda taila) and fresh ginger juice (Ardraka swarasa) etc., which have been reported in different classical texts of Ayurveda for proper processing of nux vomica seeds. In this study, an attempt has been made to purify the seeds by using three different methods as described in ancient treatise by using cow's urine and cow's milk as media alone and together. This study revealed that all the methods studied reduced the toxicity of strychnine and brucine contents in comparison to the raw seeds as determined by HPTLC. Out of these three methods maximum reduction in strychnine and brucine contents was found when the seeds were purified by keeping them in cow’s urine for seven days followed by boiling in cow's milk for three hrs.

Keywords
Kupeelu; Strychnos nuxvomica; Shodhana; strychnine; Ayurveda; brucine; Cow's milk; Cow's urine

 
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Alternative site location: http://journals.sfu.ca/africanem/index.php/ajtcam

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