Agasthi, the favourite tree of the sage agasthya.

AGASTHI-agathi

Agasthya is a well renowned acharya in ayurvedic and siddha traditions, since this tree was most favourite of those of the sage, this tree is named agasthi.

FAMILY : FABACEAE(PAPILIONACEAE)

SCI.NAME : SESBANIA GRANDIFLORA PERS.

Based on the colour of the flower there are two varieties, namely white and red one.

Synonyms : agasthi, agasthidaru,munitaru,vangasenaka

Hindi : hathiya, hadaya

Bengali : bukko, baak

Telugu : avasi

Gujarathi : agathiyo

English : agusta

Distribution : Seen all around India, cultivated in arid areas such as Gujarat.

Description :It is a fast-growing tree, leaves are regular and rounded and the flowers white and red in color according to its species. The fruits look like flat, long and thin green beans. The tree thrives under full exposure to sunshine and is extremely frost sensitive.

Its a small soft wooded tree up-to 3-8m, leaves 15–30 cm long; leaflets 10-20 pairs or more and an odd one. Oblong, 1.5-3.5 cm long variety red, 7.5–10 cm long in lax, 2-4 flower racemes, calyx campanulate, shallowly 2-lipped. Pods slender, falcate or straigh, 30–45 cm long, suture thick, Seeds ca. 30, to 8mm.

Chemical components & its action : Plant—astringent, antihistaminic,

febrifuge. Used

for intermittent fevers, catarrh,

cough, consumption, glandular

enlargement.    The aqueous extract of flowers has

been found to produce haemolysis of

human and sheet erythrocytes even at

low concentration due to methyl ester

of oleanolic acid. Flowers also gave

nonacosan-6-one and kaempferol-3-

rutinoside.

The seed gave kaempferol-3,7-diglucoside,

(+)-leucocyanidin and cyanidin-

3-glucoside. Seed also contains

galactomannan.

A saponin present in the leaves

on hydrolysis gave an acid sapogenin

oleanoic acid, galactose, rhamnose and

glucuronic acid. Besides saponin, the

leaves contain an aliphatic alcohol,

grandiflorol. The bark contains gum and tannin.

The red gum is used as a substitute for

Gum arabic. An infusion of the bark

is given in first stages of smallpox and

other eruptive fevers (emetic in large

doses).

Dosage : whole plant -10 to 20ml juice, 50 to 100ml decoction.

Rasadi gunas ;

TIKTA RASA,

ROOKSHA LAGHU GUNA,

SEETA VEERYA,

MADHURA TIKTA VIPAAKA.