Review Article International Ayurvedic Medical Journal ISSN:2320 5091 A REVIEW ARTICLE ON STHAVARA VISHA (PLANT POISON) LANGALI (GLORIOSA SUPERBA) Dr. Chavhan Kalpana R.1, Dr. Suryawanshi Shama S.2 1Assistant Professor, 2Professor; Department of Agadtantra, Government Ayurveda College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India ABSTRACT Langali (Gloriosa superba) is an irritant plant poison which is mentioned Sthavara mula Visha in ancient Ayurveda texts. This plant belongs to Liliaceae family. It is elegant; climbing hedge plants grows in Mysore and in low jungles throughout India. Popularly it is known as Kalahari in Hindi and Glory lily in English. This plant is a part of folk medicine from ancient time. Popularly it is used as abortifacient by quacks. Rasshastra texts include this plant in category of mild poisons i.e. called Upavisha. These Upavisha are low in toxic potency. Beside the toxic impact Langali is having therapeutic uses mentioned in Ayurveda. It is used in treatment of external swelling, wounds, Haem- orrhoids, Arthritis and many more diseased conditions. Langali also poses forensic importance as it is popularly used for criminal abortion, used as a suicidal agent and accidental poisoning may occur when the tuber of Gloriosa superba is mistaken for sweet potato. This article helps in telling about description of most common Upavisha i.e. Langali, its therapeutic usage, fatal dosage and various toxicological aspects mentioned in Ayurveda science. Keywords: Langali,Gloriosasuperba,Sthavara Visha, Plant Poison INTRODUCTION Poisons have been classified into two Rasendrasar Sangraha [5], Rasa Ratna Samuc- kinds-Sthavara (vegetable and mineral poi- chaya, [6]and Rasatarangini[7]. Langali is an son)and Jangam(Animal poison) in ancient elegant, climbing hedge plat grows in Mysore Ayurveda texts. [1] Inanimate i.e. Vegetable and & in low Jungles throughout India. [8]It is mineral poisons termed as Sthavara Visha and Known as Kalahari in Hindi. The glory lily animate poisons termed as Jangam visha. (Gloriosa superba L.) is a vine that blossoms InAshtang Hrudaya visha is again classified as with exotic, patterned flowers. Glory lilies natural i.e. Krutrim vishaand artificial poison grow in many parts of tropical Africa and i.e.Akrutrim visha,andAkrutrim vishais again Asia, especially India. This spectacular lily is classified as Sthavara and JangamaVisha.[2] native of Africa and is the national flower of Basic texts of Rasa Shastra also classifies Zimbabwe. [9] Though Ayurveda and Unani visha based on toxic potency as Visha and Up- medicine traditions say that glory lilies have visha. Upavisha are considered as less potent medicinal value, all parts of these plants are as compared to Visha.[3] The substances which toxic. This makes them dangerous plants to are not so lethal but produces certain toxic have in a house or garden with young children symptoms are categorised under Upavisha. [4] or pets. They are considered perennial herbs Langali (Gloriosa superba) is one of the mild and climbing vines, with tendrils on the ends poison mentioned in Rasa Shastratexts like of the leaves that allow them to attach them- How to cite this URL: Dr. Chavhan Kalpana R & Dr. Suryawanshi Shama S: A Review Article On Sthavara Visha (Plant Poison)Langali (Gloriosa Superba). International Ayurvedic medical Journal {online} 2016 {cited 2016 July} Available from: http://www.iamj.in/posts/images/upload/34468_3475.pdf selves to support structures as they climb. [10] long, the tip is deflexed. Perianth: 6.3cmX8- Physical Characteristics: - [11] This plant Be- 13cm long, linear lanceolate. With crispy longing to family Liliaceous is a large, herba- waved margins at first, then turn yellow pass- ceous, climbing annual. An herbaceous tall ing through orange and scarlet to crimson red. glabrous branching climber Filament: 3.8-4.5cm long, anthers/spreading Root Stock: -Arched, solid, fleshy white, cy- 13mm long, style-5cm long, and arms about lindrical tuber, 15-30cm (length) X 2.5-3.8 cm 6mmlong. Fruit: Capsule about 2X4.5 cm, (diameter), tapering at both the end, bifur- linear oblong, three celled. cately branched forming 'V-shape, roots Seed: Sub-globose: Testa spongy, wing like. fibrous. Stem: -Annual 3-6 mts long, herba- Taxonomical Classification of Langali [12] ceous, given off from the young tubers. Kingdom:Plantae Leaves: -Sessile or nearly so, 7.5cm to15cm X Sub Kingdom: Tracheobiophyta 2 to 4.5 cm, scattered or opposite. Sometimes Division: Magnoliophyta arises from the separation of the internodes, Sub- Division: Angiospermae ternately whorled, ovate/ lanceolate, acumi- Class: Monocotyledon nate tip ending in a tendril like spiral, base Sub-class: Liliidae cordate and nerves parallel. Order: liliales Flowers: -Large axillary, solitary or sub- Family: Liliaceae corymbose towards the end of the branches Sub-family: Wurmbeodideae from the nearness of the leaves, remain about Genus: Gloriosa 7 days without withering, Pediciles-7.5-15 cm Species: superba TUBERS OF LANGALIFLOWER OF LANGALI Botanical Name: Gloriosa superba Linn. Botanical Name: -Gloriosa Superba Family: -Liliaceae, Rasonkula[13] Vernacular Names: - Synonyms: - Agni shikha, Kalihari, Garbhanut Sanskrit Names: - Langali, Kalikari,Vishalya[14]Agnimukhi, Garbhapatani Agnisikha, Garbha- nut[15]Kaliharika, Agnijivha, Swarnapushpa, Dipta, Naktendupushika,Vddujwala,Vhanhishikha Hali, Langalini[16]Halini, Shukrapushpi, Ananta,Vanhivaktra[17] English: -Climbing-lily, Glory-lily, Tiger’s "Mauve beauty", "Purple prince", "Modest", claw, Creeping-lily, Flame-lily, Gloriosa lily "Orange gem “, "Salman Glow", and "Orange Malabar Glory [18] Glow"[19] Hindi: -Kalahari, [20] Kathari, Kulhari, Languli,Kaliyari[21] FLOWER 3469 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 4; Issue 11; November- 2016 OF LAN- GALI Telagu:- Adavi-nabhi, Potti much of tropical Asia including: India, Sri Dumpa[22]Kalappagadda, Ganjeri Lanka, Malaysia and Burma. It occurs in Bangala: -Vishalangaliya,Eshalangal[23] thickets, forest edges and boundaries of culti- Marathi: -Khadyanaag,Kal-lavi[23] vated areas in warm countries up-to height of Gujarati: -Dudhio,Bacchanaag[23] 2530 m. In temperate countries, Gloriosa su- Malayalam: - Medoni[24] perba is grown as an ornamental in conserva- Tamil: - Kala [24] tories and greenhouses. Places known for its Classification: - distribution are Nasik, Ratnagiri, Savanthwadi Ayurveda: -Sthavar Visha (Vegetable Poison) (Maharashtra); Uttara Kannada, Hassan, [25]Kanda visha[26]Upa visha[27] Chikmangalur, Coorg, Mysore (Karnataka); Gana: -Shak varga[28] Cannanore, Palakkad, Trivandrum (Kerala); Guduchyadu varga[29 ] Tamil Nadu and Goa. Tamil Nadu has the Mishrakadi varga –Upvisha gana[30] largest area under glory lily cultivation (up-to Modern toxicological classification: 6000 acres) spread over seven districts viz., -Irritant, Organic Vegetable Poison [31] Karur, Tirupur, Dindigul, Salem, Ariyalur, -Gastric Irritant Plant [32] Perambalur and Nagapattinam and holds mo- Plant Description: - nopoly in production of glory lily seeds with [33]Gloriosa Superba L. is a perennial climber, an annual production of over 600 -700 tonnes. extensively scattered in the tropical and sub- Gloriosasuperba contains active principle tropical parts of the India, including the foot- Colchicine which is mainly present in tuber- hills of Himalayas. This spectacular lily is na- ous roots and leaves of plant and so there are tive of Africa and is the national flower of the parts which are used for medicinal and Zimbabwe. In India, it is widely distributed other purposes. and is the state flower of Tamil Nadu. Glori- Properties: -[34] osa derives its name from the word ‘glorious’, Guna- Laghu, Tikshana which means handsome and superba from the Rasa- Katu, Tikta word ‘superb’ means splendid or majestic. The Virya- Ushna fondness for floral beauty has also placed Glo- Vipak- Katu riosa as a pot plant in gardens. It is known as Prabhav- Garbhapatan ‘Malabar glory lily’ in English, ‘Kalihari’ in Doshakarma- Kaphavaatshamak Hindi, ‘Agnisikha’ in Sanskrit. Earlier than Part Used: -Tuberous root/corm [35], Leaves 1980, the tubers were indiscriminately har- [36] vested from the wild and utilized for medicinal Medicinal Dose: - 1-2 Ratti[ 37] applications. Because of continuous overex- Active principle (Chemical composition): - ploitation of tubers from wild, the species was Colchicine, Puteolin, -sitosterol, Isoper- on the verge of extinction and was one of the lolyrine, Cornigerine, Bbechuanine, Colchi- endangered species among the most valued camide, Colchicoside etc. [38] medicinal plants. Until this period, up to 75% LangaliShodhana (Detoxification / Purifica- of raw material required by pharmacies and tion method):- drug manufacturers was fulfilled only from 1] Pieces of Langali tuber socked in Saind- wild. Gloriosa superba has been reported to hava and buttermilk for 4 to 5 days. Later occur naturally in Africa, India and South washed with hot water & dried. Change the eastern Asia and distributed widely throughout buttermilk every day. [39] the tropics. It has natural occurrence through 3470 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 4; Issue 11; November- 2016 2]Dip the Langali tuber in Cow -urine for 1 sion, coagulopathy, ECG changes, and death day, it will also reduce the toxic potency [40]. have been reported less commonly. Controversial Aspects of Langali: - Common toxic symptoms: - (Acute poison- 1. Puga.c. speciosus having synonym Kebuka ing) is used as a substitute for Langali (Gloriosa Severe vomiting [41] Superba). Diarrhoea 2.Vaidya Bapalalji claims