Ahimsra

Botanical Name

Capparis sepiaria L.

Family

Capparaceae.

Synonyms

Capparis affinis Merr., Capparis emarginata C.Presl, Capparis flexicaulis Hance, Capparis incanescens DC., Capparis trichopetala Valeton, Capparis  umbellata R.Br. ex DC.

Regional Name

English : Wild caper bush, Indian caper, Hindi : Baghanai, Kanthari, Kanthor, Hainsa, Kareruaa, Kanthar, Kanthari, Sanskrit : Ahimsra, Ahinsra, Durdharsha, Himsra, Hinsra, Kanthari, Kantharika, Vakrakantaki, Vayastinduka, Kannada : Kanthaari, Kathiramullu, Katukatiri, Musthodi, Mulhukallari, Marathi : Ardanti, Vyaghranakh, Kantharvela, Tamil : Karindu, Pantanki, Kattukathiri, Marandan, Turmokam, Thoratti, Telugu : Nalla uppi, Nallapuyyi, Nallaupli, Nallauppi, Nallavuppi, Gujarati: Kalokantharo, Bengali: Kaliakara.

Part Used

Fruit.

Description

The plant is a perennial climbing shrub with hooked spines, extremely found in tropical Asia, East Pakistan, Malesia, Indochina, China, Northern Australia, and tropical Africa. In India, it is distributed throughout the country in the plains. The plant is evergreen, strongly branched, spiny shrub up to 6 m tall, often with scandent stems up to 10 m long. Leaf-blades elliptic, ovate or obovate, 1–6.8 x 0.8–4.4 cm, apically rounded, obtuse or retuse, mucronulate, basally rounded or subcordate; petiole 2–5 mm long, pubescent or glabrescent. The inflorescence is a short terminal raceme, often umbel-like, slightly hairy, up to 20-flowered, sometimes flowers solitary in upper leaf axils. Flowers, 5–20 mm long, pediceled, pubescent, or glabrescent. Sepals 4–8 mm long, glabrous outside, puberulous or glabrescent within. Petals oblong, up to 8–9 mm long, glabrous or basally puberulous. Stamens many, 8–13 mm long. Gynophore up to 1.5 cm long; ovary ovoid, c. 2 mm long, with sessile stigma. Fruits are subglobose, many-seeded berry; green when young, red-brown when ripe, 3 to 4 cm in diameter, on a greatly thickened stalk; seeds are trigonal, 4 to 5 mm long, 3 to 4 mm wide, 2 to 3 mm thick with white thin covering.

Phytoconstituents

The plant contains Thioglucoside glucocapparin, n-triacontane, a-amyrin, and fixed oil. It also contains flavonoids, steroids, tannins, glycosides, alkaloids, gums, resins, amino acids, proteins, and anthraquinones.

Medicinal Uses

It is used to treat Arthritis, Asthma, fever, jaundice, inflammation, diarrhea and dysentery, Skin diseases, liver disorders.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Madhura, Katu, Tikta, Kasaya, Guna : Laghu, Ruksa, Virya : Usna, Vipaka : Katu, Karma : Kaphahara, Vatahara, Varnya, Visaghna, Kandughna.

Ayurvedic Applications

Bhrama, Jvara, Kandu, Kotha, Kustha, Pravahika, Raktapradara, Vrana, Sarpavisa, Vatavikara, Visvikara, Pidaka, Graharoga, Mukhadurgandha