Kantakari Ghritam | Kasaharadashemani by Arya Vaidya sala, Kottakkal

Kantakari Ghritam: Ashtangahridayam, Chikitsasthanam, Adhyayam 3

Kantakari Ghritam is useful in Bronchitis, asthma, chronic cough, hiccups.

कण्टकार्यास्तुलां क्षुण्णां पक्त्वा द्रोणे। म्भस पचेत्।।

तेनाढकेन क्वाथस्य घृतप्रस्थंपिचून्मितैः।

रास्नादुस्पर्शषड्ग्रन्थापिप्पलीद्वयचित्रकैः।।

सौवर्चलयवक्षारकृष्णामूलैश्चतज्जयेत्।

कासश्वासकफष्ठीवहिध्मारोचकपीनसान्।। अ.सं.चि.4/81-83

Kantakari Ghritam contains Ghritam (ghee), Kantakari कंटकारी (Solanum virginianum), Bala बला (Sida cordifolia), Sunthi शुंठी (Zinziber officinale), Maricha मरीच(Piper nigrum), Pippali पिप्पली (Piper longum), Vidanga विडंग (Embalia ribes), Sathi शटी (Hedychium spicatum), Dadima दाड़िम (Punica granatum), Sauvarchala सुवर्चला (Sodii carbonas impura), Yavakshara यवक्षार (Carbonate of Potash), Mula मुला (Raphanus sativus), Amalaka आमलकी (Phyllanthus emblica), Paushkara पुष्करा (Inula racemosa), Vrischiva- Shveta Punarnavaa श्वेत पुनर्नवा (Boerhavia verticillata), Brihati - Badi kateri-Jangli Bhata बृहती (Solanum anguivi), Pathya पथ्या-बहेड़ा (Terminalia chebula), Yavani यवनी (Cuminum cyminum), Chitraka चित्रक (Plumbago zeylanica), Riddhi रिद्धि (Curculigo orchioides (sub.), Mridvika मृद्विका- द्राक्षा (Vitis vinifera), Chavya चव्य (Piper mullesua), Varshabhu वर्शाभु (Boerhavia diffusa), Duralabha दुर्लभा (Tragia involucrata), Amlavetasa अम्ल्वेतास (garcinia pedunculata), Sringi कर्कटश्रृंगी (galls on Pistacia chinensis) subsp. integerrima, Tamalaki भुई आमलकी (Phyllanthus amarus), Bharngi भारंगी (Rotheca serrata), Rasna रासना (Alpinia galanga), gokshura गोखरू (Tribulus terrestris).

Kantakari (Solanum Xanthocarpum) is non-toxic and safe for human use and is regarded as a valuable plant in both Ayurvedic and modern drug development areas for its versatile medicinal uses. The plant is widely studied for its various pharmacological activities and antiasthmatic, antifungal, antibacterial, anthelmintic, hypoglycemic and mosquito-repellent properties. Further studies of the use of various analytical techniques for the detection and isolation of other phytochemical compounds and their therapeutic applications will possibly lead to the journeying of new methods for industrial application.

Kantakari (Solanum Xanthocarpum) contains alkaloids, sterols, saponins, flavonoids and their glycosides also carbohydrates, fatty acids, amino acids etc. Steroidal alkaloid solasodine is the principal alkaloid. Fruit contain solasonine, solasodine, solamargine, betasolamargine, solanocarpine and solanocarpidine. Dry fruits contain traces of isochlorogenic, neochronogenic, chronogenic and caffeic acids. Petals yielded apigenin. Stamens gave quercetin diglycoside and sitosterol. Presence of coumarins, scopolin, scopoletin, esculin and esculetin from plant parts of S. xanthocarpum. Fruits have more alkaloids than other organs in the plant species and alkaloid productivity varies under different organic solvents. In addition to alkaloid content also determined the presence of flavonoids and saponin apart from the presence of tolerable levels of heavy metals like Cu, Fe, Pb, Cd and Zn.

References taken from:

1. Efficacy of Kantakari Ghrita and Vasa Gritha for Snehapana followed by Virechana in the Management of Tamaka Shwasa w.s.r. to Bronchial Asthma: A Randomized Comparative Clinical Study (PDF) Efficacy of Kantakari Ghrita and Vasa Gritha for Snehapana followed by Virechana in the Management of Tamaka Shwasa w.s.r. to Bronchial Asthma: A Randomized Comparative Clinical Study (researchgate.net)

2. The Comprehensive Review on Kantakari Plant, Asian Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences (ajpsonline.com).

3. Therapeutic efficacy of Kantakari Ghrita in Tamaka Shwasa - marked improvement in signs and symptoms and all were statistically significant. Therapeutic efficacy of Kantakari Ghrita in Tamaka Shwasa | Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences (jaims.in)

4. Effect of kantakari ghrita in the management of vataja kasa (Dry Cough) - Effect of kantakari ghrita in the management of vataja kasa (thepharmajournal.com).