Biological source, Chemical constituents and Therapeutic efficacy of the following category of crude drugs: Gokhru and Punarnava

1. DIURETICS
Prepared By: M s. Div ya Kanojiya
A s s i s t a n t P r o f e s s o r i n P h a r m a c o g n o s y
D e p a r t m e n t o f P h a r m a c y, S u m a n d e e p
V i d y a p e e t h D e e m e d t o b e U n i v e r s i t y,
P i p a r i a , Va d o d a r a .
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2.  Content:
 Bio l o gic a l so urce , Ch em ic a l
consti tu ent s a nd Th erap eut ic ef f ica c y
o f th e fo l low in g c ate go r y o f cru de
dr ugs:
 Gokhru
 Punarnava
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3. G O K H R U
 Synonym: Caltrops fruit.
 Biological Source:
 In Ayurveda two types of Gokhru are
used, that is, Bada and Chota Gokhru. The
smaller or Chhota Gokhru is the dried ripe
seeds of Tribulus terrestris Linn.,
belonging to family Zygophyllaceae.
 Geographical Source:
 The plant is an annual, prostrate herb
growing throughout India upto 3,500 m in
Kashmir.
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4.  Characteristics:
 The fruits are yellowish in colour, globose,
1.2 cm in diameter containing five woody,
densely hairy, spiny cocci.
 Large pointed spines are present in each
coccus.
 Two smaller and shorter spines are
directed downwards.
 Several seeds are present in each coccus.
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5.  Chemical Constituents
 The dried fruits of T. terstris consist of steroidal saponins as the major
constituents.
 It includes terestrosins A, B, C, D and E, desgalactotigonin, F-gitonin,
desglucolanatigonin and gitonin.
 The hydrolysed extract consists of sapogenins such as diosgenin,
chlorogenin, hecogenin and neotigogenin.
 Certain other steroidal such as terestroside F, tribulosin, trillin, gracillin,
dioscin have also been isolated from the aerial parts of the herb.
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6.  The flavonoid derivatives reported from the fruits includes
tribuloside and number of other glycosides of quercetin,
kaempferol and isorhamnetin.
 It also consists of common phytosterols, such as, β-sitosterol,
stigmasterol and cinnamic amide derivative, terestiamide.
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8.  Uses
 The fruit has cooling, anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic, diuretic,
tonic, aphrodisiac properties.
 It is used in building immune system, in painful micturition, calculus
affections and impotency.
 Improves and prolongs the duration of erection.
 It exerts a stimulating effect on reproductary organs.
 Marketed Products
 It is one of the ingredients of the preparations known as Bonnisan,
Confido, Himplasia, Renalka (Himalaya), Dhatu poushtik churna
(Baidyanath), Semento (Aimil) and Body plus capsule (Jay Pranav
Ayurvedic Pharmaceuticals).
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10. Character Bada Gokhru Chhota Gokhru
Synonyms Gokhru, Gokhur,
Puncture vine
Gokhru, Puncture
vine, Goat’s head
Biological source It constists of dried
ripen fruit of
Pedelium murex.
It constists of dried
ripen fruit of Tribulus
terrestris.
Family Pedaliaceae Zygophyllaceae
Geographical source Near sea, Coast of
Konkan, Saurasta,
Delhi, Some part of
Rajasthan.
Through out India, Sri
Lanka, Tibet
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11. Character Bada Gokhru Chhota Gokhru
Morphological character
Size 5-15 cm 1-1.5 cm
Shape Pyramid ovoid shaped,
tapering at the base of
apex. It does not show any
separated cocci, each fruit
has a four spines.
Fruits are globos and
constating of 5 to 10
woody cocci, each with
two pairs of hard and
sharp divergent spine.
Colour Brownish Greenish to gray
Odour Odourless Odourless
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12. P u n a r n a v a
 Synonym: Hog Weed,
dholisaturdi, satodirnula
 Biological Source: Punarnava
consists of fresh as well as dried
whole plant of Boerhaavia diffusa
Linn belonging to family
Nyctaginaceae.
 Geographical source: The plant is
a weed found throughout India
and Sri Lanka during rainy season.
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13. Figure: Boerhaavia diffusa Linn
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14.  Morphology:
 Stem:
 It is greenish purple in colour, slender, stiff, cylindrical,
swollen at nodes, minutely pubscent or nearly glabrous.
 Roots:
 Roots are long, cylindrical, 0.2–1.5 cm in diameter;
Yellowish brown to brown in colour, longitudinal striations
and root scars on surface; short fracture, odourless and
bitter in taste.
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15.  Leaves:
 Leaves are opposite, larger ones 2.5- to 3.5-cm long and smaller
ones are 1.2-to 1.8-cm long, ovate-oblong, apex rounded, or
slightly pointed, base subcordate, glabrous on upper, entire
margin.
 Flowers:
 Flowers are very small and white or pink in colour.
 Two chief varieties are described based on the flower colour, one
with white flowers is ‘Sweta Punarnava’ while the other with red
flowers is referred to as ‘Rakta Punarnava’.
 Fruits are 6-mm long, rounded with one seed.
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16.  Standards:
Foreign matter Not more than 2%
Total ash Not more than 15%
Acid-insoluble ash Not more than 6%
Alcohol-soluble extractive Not less than 1%
Water-soluble extractive Not less than 4%
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17.  Chemical Constituents:
 Punarnava contains a phenolic glycoside punarnavoside upto
0.03–0.05%.
 It also shows the presence of rotenoids, such as, boeravinones
A, B, C, D, and E.
 Lignan derivatives such as liridodendrin and syringaresinol
mono-β-D glucosides have been reported.
 The root contains a purine nucleoside-hypoxanthine-9-
arabinofuranoside and boeravine, ursolic acid, and β-
sitosterol.
 The root also contains an insect moulding hormone, β-
ecdysone.
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19.  Uses
 Punarnava possess potent antifibrinolytic, anti-inflammatory, and
diuretic properties.
 Punarnavoside has been found to be responsible for
antifibrinolytic activity.
 Punarnava is a very useful drug for the treatment of
inflammatory renal diseases and nephritic syndrome.
 It is also recommended for the treatment of IUD menorrhagia.
 Plant extract also shows hepatoprotective activity and is effective
in cases of oedema and ascites resulting from early cirrhosis of
liver and chronic peritonitis.
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20.  Liridodendrin and hypoxanthine 9-arabinofuranoside exhibits,
antihypertensive activity, the former being a Ca2+ channel
antagonist.
 Root extract on oral administration was found to stop
intrauterine contraceptive device-induced bleeding in
experimental animals.
 The whole herb in the form of juice is given internally as a blood
purifier.
 It is eaten as a vegetable in curries and soups.
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21.  Marketed Formulations
 It is one of the ingredients of the preparations known as Deepact
(Lupin Herbal Lab.), Abana, Immunol, Diabecon (Himalaya Drug
Company), Punarnawadi, Guggulin, Punarnavarista (Baidyanath),
Sobigol (Aimil), and Painkill oil, J.P. Liver syrup (Jamuna Pharma).
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22. Real growth is when you start checking and correcting yourself.
Instead of blaming others, you take your power back by being
responsible for your life!
T h a n k y o u !
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