As we know that resins are amorphous products of a complex nature. These are amorphous mixtures of essential oils, oxygenated products of terpene, and carboxylic acids found as exudations from the trunk of various trees. They are transparent or translucent solids, semi-solids, or liquid substances containing a large number of carbon atoms. Most of the resins are heavier than water. They are insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol, volatile oils, fixed oils, chloral hydrate, and non-polar organic solvents like benzene or ether. They are hard, electrically non-conductive, and combustible masses. They are usually formed in schizogenous or schizolysigenous cavities or ducts as end products of metabolism.
Resin is a hydrocarbon secretion of many coniferous, dipterocarpous and so many plants of various genera. Resins are valued for their chemical constituents and use, such as varnishes and adhesives, as an important source of raw materials for organic synthesis, or for incense and perfume. Fossilized resins are the source of amber. Resins are also material in nail polish. There is no consensus on why plants secrete resins. However, resins consist primarily of secondary metabolites or compounds that apparently play no role in the primary physiology of a plant. While some scientists view resins only as waste products, their protective benefits to the plant are widely documented. Many resinous products are not formed by the plant itself unless and until purposeful and methodical injuries in the shape of incisions are made on them and the secretions or plant exudates are tapped carefully, such as Balsam of Tolu.
Likewise, Saraja exudates is a naturally occurring resin from the plant Viteria india, family Dipterocarpaceae. This resin is called as Kahruba (Hindi), Vellai kungilium (Tamil), and Sarja (Sanskrit). This is a very good source of traditional medicine. This may be due to high demand or cost, nowadays, it had been found adulterated in the market either with some other resins or artificially made resin of similar appearances. It is found very much difficult to identify the material with short terms while procuring the same in bulk from the market.
However, based on my experiences, I would like to provide some techniques by which a buyer can easily identify the material before its purchase. The original Saraja or Kahruba or vellai kungilium looks rough, irregular, solid, brittle masses, breaking into angular pieces, light yellow to pale yellow in color with a fragrant odor and characteristic taste. It shows sticky nature if hold in hand for some time. It is very much fragile and gives very fine white powdery appearances while crushing with stone pieces or with pestle and mortar. Whereas, the adulterated material showed very hard, neither brittle nor fragile, and cannot be crushed as a fine powder. The pieces of such artificial or adulterated resins are irregular but comparatively smaller than the original resins, golden yellow to pale reddish-brown color and no fragrance and no taste, also not showing sticky nature on holding in hand for some time.
The above method of Macroscopic identification would help many medical practitioners, nurses, medical students of the Traditional system of Medicine to get authentic material from the market and to prepare medicines of good potency and best therapeutic results.
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