Tilparnni / Dog Mustard / Gynandropsis gynandra - Classification, Ayurvedic Properties & Dosage

Description

Ayurveda is one of the oldest healthcare systems and helps to heal the body with the help of herbal medicines, all the cultures around the world have relied on traditional herbal medicine to meet their health care needs, and natural herbal management is much more affordable than other conventional medicine and is much more effective without side-effects. Herbs contain active components that come from plant sources, this helps to heal the body in a natural way. There are many herbs that are used in herbal medicines or can be used separately. One of them is Tilparnni Gynandropsis gynandra belongs to the family Capparidaceae, Tilparnni is of two varieties one is of Gynandropsis gynandra and the other one is Cleome viscosa. Tilparnni herb is beneficial in Kapha-Vataj vikara. This is widely distributed in tropical Africa, Southeast Asia, and other tropical and subtropical countries, but this herb is commonly found in warmer areas. So now we are going to discuss a herb named tilparnni with its benefits and dosage.

Special Note About This Plant

• Tilparnni is highly beneficial in Kapha-vataj diseases.
• Cleomine and Viscosin are the two important compounds found in Tilparnni varieties that help the herb show its efficacy in various diseases.
• This herb is useful in otalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, worm infestation, abscess, animal poisoning, and many more.

Systemic Classification

• Botanical Name - Gynandropsis gynandra
• Family - Capparidaceae
• Genus - Gynandropsis
• Species - G. gynandra

Synonyms

• Til parni - Its leaves resembled the til herb.
• Pootigandha - Having bad odor
• Ugragandha - Having a sharp and pungent smell.

Other Vernacular Names

• In Hindi - Hulhul, hurhur
• In Bengali - Huddhuddiya
• In Malyalam - Tilvan
• In Gujarati - Talvani
• In Punjab - Bogra
• In Marathi - Bagro
• In Telugu - Kukkvaminta

Habitat

It is an erect annual herb that can reach up to 150 cm under its favorable condition.

The stem of this plant is densely glandular and has many branches.

Leaves are alternate, petiolated having numerous leaflets like 3 to 7 in number.

Leaflets are sessile, obovate, elliptical, and lanceolate, their apex is obtuse to rounded and acute, and margins are toothed and sparsely hairy.

Flowers are bisexual having 3 to 4 sepals, and 4 petals of 1.5 cm long. It has three varieties based on color, one is white-colored Gynandropsis gynandra and the second one is Cleome viscosa and the third one is of purplish flower Cleome monophylla. White-colored variety is used for medicinal purposes.

Fruits are long, cylindrical, and narrow dehiscent capsules broad in shape.

Seeds are subglobose greyish to black in color.

Classical Categorization

• In Bhavprakash Nighantu, this herb is mentioned under the category of Guduchyadi Varga.
• In Dhnawantri Nghantu, this herb is mentioned under the category of Satapuspadi Varga.
• In Raj Nighantu, This herb is mentioned under the category of Satahvadi herb.

Ancient Verse

Shloka - 1

सुवर्चला हिमा रूक्षा स्वादुपाका सारा गुरुः।
अन्या तिक्ता कषायोष्णा सरा रूक्षा लघुः कटुः ।
निहन्ति काफा पित्तास्रश्वासकासारुचिज्वरान् ।।
विस्फोटकुष्ठमेहास्रयोनिरुक्कृमिपाण्डुतः।।

Reference - Bhavprakash Nighantu / Guduchyadi Varga

Interpretation of Shloka - Yellow variety is cold in potency, dry, laxative, heavy in digestion, slightly pitta aggravating, is of katu rasa, and is of kshariya guna, reduces the flow and is used to pacify the vata dosha. The white variety of this herb is of tikta, kashaya, and is of katu ras, is of hot potency, laxative in nature, dry, light in nature, Kapha, pitta, rakta, can be pacified with this herb, is useful in cough, indigestion, fever, eczema, skin diseases, urinary diseases, bleeding disorders, vaginal infections, or anaemic conditions.

Shloka - 2

अजगन्धा वातहरा वीर्योष्णा तू ज्वारापहा।
गुल्मष्ठीलाकफानाहशूलजिद्वान्हिकृत्परा।।

Reference - Dhnawantri Nghantu / Satapuspadi Varga

Interpretation of Shloka - This herb is helpful in the pacification of vata, hot, febrifuge, cures abdominal tumor, enlarged prostate, tympanitis, and colic, acts as an appetizer, and pacifies Kapha.

Shloka - 3

अजगन्धा कटूष्णा स्याद्वातगुल्मोदरापहा ।
कर्णाव्रणार्तिशूलघ्नी पीता चेदञ्जने हिता।।

Reference - Raj Nighantu / Satahvadi herb

Interpretation of Shloka - This is pungent, and ht, it quells Vata, gulma (false abdominal lumps due to Vata dosha), and other abdominal ailments. It controls pain, and colic and is used in ear colic, and the yellow variety is good for the eyes as colloriyum.

Ayurvedic Properties

• Rasa (Taste) - Katu (Pungent)
• Guna (Quality) - Teekshana (Sharp)
• Veerya (Potency) - Ushna (Hot)
• Vipaka (Post digestive effect) - Katu (Pungent).
• Karma (Action) - Fruit - Balances the Vata and Pitta dosha.
• Bark - Balances Kapha and Vata dosha.
• Projyang (Part used) - Seeds, Leaves, Roots are used.

Effects on Doshas

This herb is very helpful in balancing the Kapha dosha and Vata dosha.

Practical Uses

• This herb is very effective in Kapha-vataj diseases.
• When this is used as an external application it is helpful in reducing the burning, helps to reduce the pain, and alleviates the pain.
• This is also helpful as an anti-epileptic herb.
• Due to its ushna veerya, this is helpful as an appetizer, carminative in nature, is helpful as a pain reliever, and anti-microbial in nature.
• White variety of this plant also contains anti-cancerous properties of this herb.
• Helps to promote sweating so helpful in relieving the fever.
• Its leaves decoction or oil is helpful in otalgia.
• Paste of the leaves is helpful in rheumatoid arthritis.
• Paste of the leaves can also be applied over abscesses or infections.
• Paste of the leaves can also be applied over the bites of snakes, and dogs.
• This herb can be used in chronic skin conditions to get the best results.

Dosage

1. Its seed powder can be taken in the quantity of 1 to 3 grams.
2. Its leaf juice can be taken in the quantity of 5 to 10 ml.
3. Its root powder can be used up to 1 to 3 grams.

If it is taken in excessive quantities then it may cause aggravation of pitta dosha and may develop complications. So for this, you can use the pitta shamak treatment of the Madhur rasa herb.