Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 8(3), July 2009, pp. 310-318 Use of Kñéravidäré as a substitute for Vidäré as per Ayurvedic descriptions Padma Venkatasubramanian*, Subrahmanya Kumar K & SN Venugopal Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, No 74/2, Jarakabande Kaval, Post Attur, via Yelahanka, Bangalore 560 064, Karnataka E-mail: [email protected] Received 6 November 2007 revised 22 October 2008 The classical texts of Ayurveda incorporate multiple names for most of the plant drugs described for their medicinal use. As a result, the correct identification of related botanical source, many a times, becomes ambiguous. Extensive background work on nomenclature correlation can be assumed in the scholarly works of several authors of twentieth century including those of the official formularies and pharmacopoeias of Ayurveda of India. However, the works do not describe the research methodology and findings that led to the correlations. There is an urgent need to revisit this issue systematically and to publish the same through books and articles in peer-reviewed journals. Owing to several reasons, including availability of the required plant raw drugs, there are controversies relating to use of more than one botanical entity by the Ayurvedic manufacturing units. Vidäré ( ivdarI ) is one such example where at least four different botanical entities have been recorded in use by the industry. Pueraria tuberosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) DC. is the only accepted candidate for Vidäré as per official pharmacopoeias. Kñéravidäré (]IrivdarI ), a well documented type of Vidäré as per the classical Ayurveda texts, finds no mention as Vidäré in these pharmacopoeias. The study, through etymological analysis of Sanskrit synonyms, formulations and verses, indicates that two distinct botanical entities were used as Vidäré , even during the period of Caraka . Both these entities have been described as having similar properties and actions, thus making them eligible to be used as substitutes of one another. The two botanical entities that merit acceptance as sources of the classical Ayurvedic plant drug Vidäré are Pueraria tuberosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) DC. and Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq., though the later is better known as Kñéravidäré . Keywords : Ayurveda , Medicinal plant, Synonyms, Vidäré, Kñéravidäré IPC Int. Cl. 8: A61K36/00, A61P25/00 Vidäré is one of the popular plant drugs of Ayurveda is more of recent nature due to problematic market and other traditional Indian Systems of Medicine. It is linkage. There is controversy at the usage level as inferred from the variety of raw drug materials traded also an ingredient of Chyavanapräça , one of the top selling products of Ayurvedic industry 1. Commonly as Vidäré in the market. These include Pueraria tuberosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) DC. (Fabaceae), known by names like Vidäré and Vidärikanda , the Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq. (Convolvulaceae), drug is used almost all over the Indian subcontinent. Adenia hondala (Gaertn.) W. J. De Wilde Tubers of Vidäré are used in more than 45 (Passifloraceae) and Cycas circinalis L. formulations of Ayurveda , and in many instances, (Cycadaceae) 5. Demand, supply and regional used directly as single drug 2. It is one of the Balyä availability are some of the reasons for substitution (strength giving) drugs mentioned by Caraka and and adulteration with other species that may or may Susruta 1,3 . Unlike Päçäëabedha, Çankhapuçpé and the not resemble Vidäré in terms of morphology, Açtavarga group, Vidäré is not found in the list of properties or actions. controversial drugs generally accepted by Ayurvedic scholars 4. This is because the obscure identity of these The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India as well as drugs has been discussed historically even in classical The Ayurvedic Formulary of India correlate Vidäré to Ayurveda texts, whereas, the controversy with Vidäré Pueraria tuberosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) DC. and ______ ___ Kñéravidäré to Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq. , but details of * Corresponding author the methodology and exercise of correlation are not VENKATASUBRAMANIAN et al .: SUBSTITUTE AYURVEDIC DRUGS 311 available 6,7 . Secondly, they do not mention Kñéravidäré All the synonyms and descriptions pertaining to as a type or substitute of Vidäré . In practice, Vidäré and Kñéravidäré were drawn from Caraka Pueraria tuberosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) DC. is used more Samhitä, Suçruta Samhitä, Açtänga Sangraha and by the physicians of North India as Vidäré , while Açtänga Hrdaya as well as from 12 Nighantus . The Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq. is commonly used in the period of these classical works spanned 1500 BC to South. To complicate things further , twentieth Century AD. The modern texts giving Adenia hondala (Gaertn.) W. J. De Wilde and Cycas verses and botanical correlations to the basionyms circinalis L. has crept into the raw drug markets and is Vidäré and Kñéravidäré were also referred 2,6-14 . Four 5 also used as Vidäré by several industries . Some botanical candidates of Vidäré , which are in current scholarly works also reflect extensive and rigorous use, were selected for study based on consultation work on nomenclature correlation between Sanskrit with Ayurvedic scholars and industries of North and 8-11 basionyms and distinct botanical entities . However, South India. They were Pueraria tuberosa (Roxb. ex the details of methodologies and research findings are Willd.) DC., Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq., not evident in their publications. There is an urgent Adenia hondala (Gaertn.) W. J. De Wilde and Cycas need to publish the research methodologies and circinalis L. Supportive books for translations and findings that led to the name correlations in scientific explanations of words and verses were referred 15-18 . journals, so that it can be understood and accessed by Other than these, the essential floras were referred and researchers and users alike. Possibly there is also a field botanists were consulted in order to obtain need to revisit the exercise to determine if there could authentic botanical descriptions of the selected be other botanical candidates that match the candidates 19,21 . The available synonyms and descriptions, taking on board the regional practices descriptions of Vidäré and Kñéravidäré from the across the country. Therefore, the objectives of the study were twofold namely; identify the similarities Ayurvedic Samhithäs and Nighantus were listed out by trained Ayurveda research scholars. The etymology and differences between Vidäré and Kñéravidäré in of the synonyms was noted as told by Sanskrit terms of Ayurveda and to establish a transparent dictionaries 16,17,22 . The verses were translated into method for botanical name correlation for the two English and the results were tabulated. Each of the Ayurvedic drugs. descriptions compiled was scored against each of the short listed species to look for presence or absence of Methodology the feature. This was done after practically observing In the study, botanical name correlation was the habit, habitat, morphology and organoleptic undertaken through etymological analysis of its synonyms from the classical Ayurveda texts to obtain characters of the botanical candidates used as Vidäré morphological and other descriptions pertaining to and Kñéravidäré . The presence of a feature was Vidäré and Kñéravidäré . This was combined with a assigned 1 point and absence was marked 0. Expert practical exercise of comparing the descriptions with field botanists and Ayurvedic scholars were consulted the botanical candidates that are in use today as before correlating the habit, habitat and morphological descriptions of the species. The Vidäré . The chronology of plant descriptions was analysed to throw light on the controversy. Additional organoleptic and morphological descriptions of Vidäré information was also searched from verses pertaining and Kñéravidäré such as appearance, colour, shape, to Vidäré from classical texts. Discussions were held taste and smell were compared with authentic with expert Ayurveda practitioners, field botanists, botanical field collections of the four candidates. The raw drug trade specialists and industry to understand total points for each candidate were added to obtain the final scores, on which the conclusions were the status of nomenclature pertaining to Vidäré and drawn. Kñéravidäré and current problems faced in the market. A consensus was arrived at in consultation with the Results and discussion experts as to the methodology that is to be adopted, Sixteen classical Ayurveda texts from 1500 BC to including the classical and modern texts that need to twentieth century AD were studied to draw Sanskrit be referred for this exercise. synonyms pertaining to Vidäré and Kñéravidäré 2. 312 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 8, No. 3, JULY 2009 Table 1 ―Specific synonyms corresponding to Vidäré Synonyms Root/Derivation Meaning Botanical sources A B C D 28 The leaves of climber resemble those of 1 0 0 0 Vallépaläçika plaz sd&z> ikNtu v‘I êp> Paläça [ Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub.] (trifoliate/trilobate) 28 1 0 0 0 Paläçikä plazSyev pÇa{ySy Leaves resemble that of Paläça [Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub.] (Trifoliate/trilobate) 28, 33 Trilobate/Trifoliate leaves 1 0 1 0 Triparné - 30 Tubers resemble ash gourd 1 0 0 0 Kooshmandé - 30 1 0 0 0 Vallékandapaläçikä plazsd&z> ikNtu v‘I êp> Plant resembles Paläça [Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub.], but it skNdí is a creeper bearing tubers Hastipädaka Alpakñéra 1 Resembling the foot of elephant and with 1 0 0 0 - scanty exudation 10, 33 Large