AMLA SKANDHA OF CHARAK SAMHITA: A CRITICAL REVIEW

1. INTRODUCTION

In Ayurvedarasa i.e., taste of a dravya plays a very important role. Total six tastes are depicted in Ayurveda are Madhura (sweet), Amla (Sour), Lavana (Salty), Katu (Pungent), Tikta (Bitter)and Kashaya (Astringent) Yadav (2011). The principles of pharmacology of Ayurveda clearly mentions that taste of drug contributes to the action of drug Yadav (2011). The action of drug starts from mouth and amla rasa i.e., sour taste has a significant role in creating interest in food. In Charaksamhita the dravya are classified in six groups based on Rasa Yadav (2011). Amla skandhas is one group out of six. Each rasa affects Trisdoshas. Sour taste is known as Amlarasa. It is made from the elements Prithvi and Agni (Earth & Fire). Amlarasa when taken in right quantity helps in the stimulation of Agni and enhances the appetite. Amlarasa is having Snigdha (unctuous) and Drava (fluid promoting) properties Yadav (2011). Amlarasa is essential for absorption of some of the micro-nutrients like Calcium. It aggravates Kapha & Pitta and alleviates Vata.

Amla Rasa is essential for absorption of some of the micro-nutrients like Calcium. The sour taste, also known as digestive fire, promotes liver function and also neutralizes the acids in the stomach.

In the present era people are fond of taking more sour and spicy food so in order to understand the effect of sour food.

Amla Rasa is found in most unripe fruits Various studies show that Amlarasa possesses, hypolipidemic, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective and anti-emetic, Anti-cancer, activities, Cardio protective, Immunoregulation, antidepressant, anxiolytic.

2. Materials And Methods

1) Study design: Descriptive literary study.

2) Material and Method: Ayurveda texts - Charak Samhita, Bhavprakash Nighantu Bhavmishra (2015), and related Published research papers from peer reviewed journal available for open access. The dravya enlisted in amla skandha were looked for their properties and actions in Vegetable drugs in Bruhattrayi, Bhavprakash Nighantu, Nighantu Adarsh Vaidya (2013), Then the contemporary research papers were surveyed for the pharmacological actions. The data collected was analysed and presented in systematic way.

3) Observation and Result: The data collected is presented in Table 1

Table 1

Table 1
S. No.	Name of drugs	Family	Latin name	Rasa	guna	veerya	Vipaka	karma	others	Pharrmacological action as per recent research
1.	Aamra	Anacardiaceae	Mangifera Indica Linn.	Amla, Kashaya	Ruksha	Ushna	Amla	Ruchya	Tridoshakara	Anticancer,Parvez (2016) Radio protective, Laxative Cardio protective, Immunoregulation:
2.	Aamrataka	Anacardiaceae	Spondias Mangifera Willd.	Amla	Guru	Ushna	Amla	Ruchikrita, Sara	Vataghna	Antibacterial, antidiarrhoeal ulcer--protective activities Antibacterial, antidiarrhoeal ulcer-protective activities Antibacterial, antidiarrhoeal and ulcer-protective activities Antibacterial, antidiarrhoeal and ulcer-protective activitie Antibacterial, antidiarrhoeal and ulcer-protective activitie Antibacterial, antidiarrhoeal and ulcer-protective activitie Anti-bacterial, ulcer protective, Antioxidant Arif et al. (2015)
3.	Lakucha	Moraceae	Artocarpus Lakoocha Roxb.	Madhura, Amla	Guru	Ushna	Amla	Vistambhakrita	Tridoshakrit, Shukragni Nashan, Netryoahitkara	Anti-diarrheal activity Anti-inflammatory Activity Cytotoxic Activity Antioxidant Activity Vanajakshi et al. (2016)
4.	Karmarda	Apocyneceae	Carrissa Carandus Linn.	Amla	Guru	Ushna	Amla	Ruchikrita, Trishaharam	Raktapittakaphapradam	Anti-Inflammatory Activity Tesfaye, and Ravichadran (2018)
5.	Vrukshamla	Clusiaceae	Garcinia Indica Chois.	Amla	Guru	Ushna	Amla	-	Vataghna, Kaphapittalam	antioxidant, antiobesity, antiarthritic, antiinflammatory, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, cardioprotectiv, antidepressant, anxiolytic Tesfaye, and Ravichadran (2018)
6.	Amlavetas	Clusiaceae	Garcinia Penunculata Roxb.	Amla	Laghu,Ruksha	Ushna	Amla	Bhedan, Deepan	Hridroga, Shula, Gulmaghna, Pittalam, Lomaharshanam,	Antioxidant, AntifungalVaidya (2013)
7.	Kuval	Rhammnaceae	Zizyphus Sativa	Madhur	Guru	Sheeta	Madhu	Snehan		,
8.	Badar	Rhammnaceae	Zizyphus Jujuba	Madhur	Guru	Sheeta	Madhur	Bhedan, Brihanam Shukralam	Pittadahastrakshaytrishna Nivaranam	Hepatic Protective Effect, Free Radicals Scavenging Effect, Antiulcerinic Effect Mahajan, and Chopda (2009)
9.	Dadima	Punicaceae	Punica granatum Linn.	Madhur,kashayanuras	Laghu, Snigdha	Sheeta	Madhur	Shukral, Grahi, Medhabalavaham, Tarpan, deepan	Tridoshaghna, trishnadahajwaranashanam	Healing Activity, Anti-cancer Activity Arun and Singh (2012)
10.	Matulunga	Rutaceae	Citrus medica Linn.	Amla, swadu	Laghu	Ushna	Amla		Raktapittahara, Trishnahara, Kanthajihvashodhanam,Swaskasaruchihara	Hypoglycaemic and anticholinesterase activity Estrogenic activity Panara et al. (2012)
11.	Gandeer	Laminaceae	Coleus forskohlii	-	-	-	-	-	-	antidepressant, antidiuretic, antiglaucomic, antimetastatic, antispasmodic bronchodilator Patel and Saraf (2016)
12.	Amalaki	Euphorbiaceae	Emblica officinalis Gaerth.	Amla,kashayanuras	Ruksha	Sheeta	Madhura	Vrushya, Rasayanam	Raktapittapramehaghna,	antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic, adaptogenic, hepatoprotective, antitumor and antiulcerogenic activities Gaire and Subedi (2014)
13.	Tintidi	Anacardiaceae	Rhus parviflora Roxb.	Amla	Laghu, Ruksha	Ushna	Amla		Vatashaman, kaphapittavardhaka	Antimicrobial Activity Kumar and Badoni (2017)
14.	Nanditaka
15.	Dantashatha	Rutaceae	Feronia elephantum Correa.	Apakva – Kashaya Pakva - Amla	Laghu,	Ushna	Amla	Lekhan, Samgrahi		antioxidant and cytotoxic activities Pande et al. (2009)
16.	Arravataka
17.	Koshamra	Sapindaceae	Schleichera trijuga Wild.	Amla	Guru	Ushna	Amla	Deepan, grahi,ruchya,	Pittalam,kustha, shothastrapitavranakaphapaha
18.	Dhanvan	Tiliaceae	Grewia tilioefolia Vahl.	Madhura, kashaya	Laghu	Ushna	Madhur	-	kaphavataghna	antioxidant activity Hutke and Naswale, (2020)
19.	Ashamantaka	Fabaceae	Bauhinia racemosa Linn.	kashaya	-	sheeta	katu	grahi	Shleshmapittanut, krimikusthagudabhrinshagandamalavranapaha	Antifilarial Fatima et al. (2021)
20.	Changeri	Oxalidaceae	Oxalis corniculata Linn.	Amla	ruksha	Ushna	Amla			anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, antifungal, antiulcer, antinociceptive, anticancer, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, hypolipedemic, abortificient, antimicrobial, wound healing properties Fatima et al. (2021)
21.	Amalika	Caesalpiniaceae	Tamrindus indica Linn.	Amla	Guru	Ushna	Amla		pittakaphastrakrita	Hepatoprotective Anti-emetic activity Laxative activity Srikanth et al. (2012)
22.	Kola	Rhamnaceae	Zizyphus xylopyra Willd.	Madhur	Guru	Ushna	Madhur		Apakva – rochan, grahi Pakva - sara	analgesic, anti-inflammatory Healing of wounds Jena et al. (2012)
23.	Bijapoora	Rutaceae	Citrus medica Linn.	Amla, Swadu	Laghu	Ushna	Amla	Ratkapittahara	Kanthajihvashodhanamhridayshodhanam,hridya, trishnahara	Hypoglycaemic and anticholinesterase activity Panara et al. (2012)
24.	Madhukarkatika (bijapurak bheda)	Rutaceae	Citrus decumana Watt. / Citrus maxima Merrill	Swadu	Guru	Sheeta		Rochana	Raktapittakshayaswas kasahikkabhramapaha	antitumor activity Kundusen et al. (2011)
25.	Jambeer	Rutaceae	Citrus limon (Linn.) Burm. f.	Amla	Guru	Ushna	Amla		Vatashleshmavibadhanut	Antiproliferative Antimicrobial Activities Salawu et al. (2021)
26.	Nimbu	Rutaceae	Citrus limon (Linn.) Burm. f.	Amla	Laghu,	Ushna	Amla	Dipana, Pachana		Antiproliferative Antimicrobial Activities Salawu et al. (2021)
27.	Mista nimbu	Rutaceae	Citrus limettioides Tanaka	Swadu	Guru	-	-	Balya, Brimhan	Galarogavishavidhvanshikaphotkleshi	anticancer, antimicrobial Gualdani et al. (2016)
28.	Karmaranga	Oxalidaceae	Averrhoea carambola Linn.	Swadu, amla	-	sheeta	-	Grahi	Rujakara	Anti-Hyperglycemic Activity Fei et al. (2021)
29..	Naranga	Rutaceae	Citrus reticulata Blanco	Madhur,Amla	sara	ushna	-	Rochana, Durjara	Vatahata	Antioxidant Capacity, Anticancer Ability Wang et al. (2017)
30.	Lavali phala	Euphorbiaceae	Cicca acida Merrill	Swadu, Amla, Tuvar	Guru, Ruksha, Vishada	-	-	Rochana	Ashmar, Arsha, kaphapittahara	Anticystic fibrosis activity Anticancer activity antimicrobial activity Tarafdar et al. (2016)
31.	Chukra /chukrika	Polygonaceae	Rumex vesicarius	Amla, Swadu	Laghu	Ushna	Amla	Rochan	Kaphapittakrita	Wound healing activity Anthelmintic activity
32.	Lonee	portulacaceae	Portulaca quadrifida Linn.	Amla, Patu	Ruksha, Guru, Sara	Ushna	-		Vakadoshanut,Lsochanroga	Anticonvulsant, Antifungal activity Das (2013)

Table 2

Table 2
No.	*Rasa*	No. of drugs	%
1.	Amla	12	37.5
2.	Madhura	05	15.62
3.	Madhur amla	07	21.87
4.	Amla kashay	03	9.37
5.	Madhura Kashaya	02	6.25
6.	Amla lavana	01	3.125

3. Discussion

There is total 32 dravya in Amla skandhas, 23 dravyas have Amla rasaOut of them, 9 dravyas have Swadu rasa & amla rasa .23 Dravyas have Guru guna and 9 dravyas have Laghu guna, 25 dravyas have Ushna veerya and 7 dravyas have sheet veeryas.26dravyas have Amla veepaka and 6 dravys have Madhura veepaka. all dravyas have action like Deepan and Ruchikara .15 Dravya are rich Source of Vitamin C.

4. Conclusion

Amlaskandha of Charaksamhita can be very useful for maintenance of health and management of many disorders of GI tract.

CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

None.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

None.

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This work is licensed under a: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

		ABSTRACT
		Introduction: In Ayurveda Rasa i.e., taste of a drug plays a very important role. Total six tastes are depicted in Ayurveda are Madhura (sweet), Amla (Sour), Lavana (Salty), Katu (Pungent), Tikta (Bitter)and Kashaya (Astringent). The principles of pharmacology of Ayurveda clearly mentions that taste of drug contributes to the action of drug. The action of drug starts from mouth and amla rasa i.e., sour taste has a significant role in creating interest in food. In Charaksamhita the drugs are classified in six groups based on Rasa. Amlaskandhas is one group out of six. Material and Method: The dravya enlisted in amlaskandha were looked for their properties and actions in Vegetable drugs in Bruhattrayi, Bhavprakash Nighantu, Nighantu Adarsh Vaidya (2013) Then the contemporary research papers were surveyed for the pharmacological actions of dravya. The data compiled was critically analysed and presented in tabular form for making the skandhas more applicable practically. Result and Discussion: There are total 32 dravya in Amla skandhas. all dravyas have actions like Deepan and Ruchikara i.e., they are enhancing appetite and increasing interest in food .15 Dravya out of 32 were found to be rich Source of Vitamin C.
Received 19 October 2022 Accepted 30 November 2022 Published 23 December 2022 Corresponding Author Dr. Janki Lukhi, jankilukhi@gmail.com DOI 10.29121/jahim.v2.i2.2022.25 Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. With the license CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.
		Keywords: Amlarasa, Amla Skandha, Sour Taste, Ruchikara