Talmakhana                                                                                             

Common Name:

Hygrophila

Sanskrit Name:

Kokilaksha

Ikshuraka:

Talmakhana:

Lt. Name:

Asteracantha longifolia – Acanthaceae

Bio energetics:

Rasa (Taste) – Madhura (Sweet)

Guna (Characteristics) – Guru (Heavy); Snigdha (Unctuous); Pichchhila (Sticking)

Veerya (Potency) – Sheeta (Cold)

Vipaka (Post digestion effect) – Madhura (Sweet)

Chemical composition:

Apigenin-7-0-glucoside, 7-0-glucoside, Histidine, Lysine, Phenylalanine, Linoleic acid, Palimtic acid, Stearic acid, Xylose, Uronic acid, Polysaccharides, Xylan, Protease, Lupeol, Betulin, Phytosterol,  Ascorbic acid, Nicotinic acid, Betulin

Effect on Tridosha (Three bio humors):

Talmakhana pacifies Vata and Pitta Doshas; so it can be used in diseases of Vata/ Pitta/ Vata – Pitta origin.

Actions according to Ayurveda:

• Ashmari Pranut: Talmakhana is useful in breaking and expulsion of Kidney stones.
  
• Vrushya:Talmakhananourishes the genital system properly so when an old person is taking Talmakhana;he can enjoy his sexual life like a young fellow
  
• Balya: Talmakhana enhances strength of body.
  
• Samtarpana Parah: Talmakhana nourishes each and every cell of the body so it is useful in emaciation and under nutrition conditions.
  

Medicinal value:

• Chloroform extract of the leaves of A. longifolia may be used for haematopoietic activity. The reliable criteria for judging the haematopoietic activity of a plant is to observe haematological indices in anaemic animal model. In rats, cyclophosphamide has bone marrow suppressive effect and induces aplastic anaemia. Cyclophosphamide treatment (3 mg/kg body weight i.p.) resulted in significant lowering of erythrocyte count, leukocyte count, haemoglobin content, and haematocrit value %. Recovery study indicates the potency of this plant as haematopoietic activity enhancer. All the haematological indices were restored to almost normal counts after continuous administration of the extract. A significant increase in the number of bone marrow cells and a-esterase cells observed in A. longifolia treated group compared to cyclophosphamide alone treated animals indicate the ability of A. longifolia to enhance the proliferation of stem cells. 
  
• Haematopoietic activity of Asteracantha longifolia on cyclophosphamide-induced bone marrow suppression RS Pawar, AP Jain, SK Kashaw, AK Singhai;  Division of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. H. S. Gour University, Sagar-470 003, India,
• Study was done to understand the effect of seeds of Asteracantha longifolia on the sexual behaviour in male albino rats. Ethanolic extract of seeds 10 of A. longifolia was administered to groups of rats in 100, 150 and 200 mgkg1 dose for a period of 28 days and the action compared with control rats. The ethanolic extract exhibited pronounced anabolic effect in treated animals as evidenced by gains in the body and reproductive organ weights. Increased spermatogenesis due to treatment with extracts was witnessed in transverse section. The treatment also markedly affected sexual behaviour of animals as reflected by reduction of mount latency (ML), 20 increase in mount frequency (MF) and enhanced attractability towards female. A significant increase in the sperm count as well as fructose level of seminal vesicle was noted.
  
• Effect of Asteracantha longifolia on sexual behaviour of male rats Nagendra S. Chauhan; Vikas Sharma; V K Dixit
• The effect of oral administration of methanolic extract of Asteracantha longifolia seeds on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced acute liver damage in rats was investigated. Results indicate that Asteracantha longifolia extract could offer protection against acetaminophen APAP-induced liver damage, suggesting its liver protective activity.
  
• Evaluation of the Protective Efficacy of Asteracantha longifolia on Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Damage in Rats K.S. Shivashangari Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Useful part:

Roots; Seeds; Whole plant; Kshara (Alkali prepared from plant Ash)

Doses:

Decoction: 5-10 ml; Seed powder: 3-6 gm; Alkali: 1-2gm

Some combinations with Talmakhana:

Dhatu Paushtika Churna

Some important notes about Talmakhana:

• If a person takes Talmakhana Powder and Krauncha Powder mixed with the honey with fresh milk; he will never suffer from any type of weakness. 
  

-         Shshruta Samhita

• In any type of edema of any part of the body Talmakhana Alkali should be taken with cow urine.
  

-         Chakradutta