Abstract

*Dr. Anjali Rani, Prof. Makhan Lal and Dr. Ramanand

ABSTRACT

Herbal medicines are being used by mankind for several year. In recent decade, there has been a tremendous increase in interest towards plant based medicines, especially for new sources of drugs. Indravaruni is a well known plant of ancient medical sciences. It is described in almost all Samhita’s and nighantus of ayurveda. Indravaruni is citrullus Colocynthis belongs to family cucurbitaceae, mostly found throughout India, both wild and cultivated. It grows in the state of nature in the arid tracts of north west, central and south india, and is met with in the Punjab, sind. The fruit ripens in the cold season and is offered for sale in north india by the herbalists in December and January. The roots and the whole fruit without the seeds are commonly used in india whereas only the pulp is official in the british pharmacopoeia. The Indian varieties of colocynth differ a little from the imported varities and are nearly globular in shape and usually of the size of an orange or smaller with a surface marbled with green yellowish white patches. A number of substitutes of Citrullus colocynthis are found on the market. The fruit of Cucumis trigonus, Cucumis pseudo colocynthis grow abundantly in the mountainous regions of northern india and are frequently used to adulterate colocynth sold in the bazar. They can be differentiated from the round fruits of the drug by their smooth contour and oblong shape. Colocynth is not systematically grown anywhere in india except perhaps on an experimental scale near surat and karachi to prevent sand drifts.