LITERARY REVIEW OF KALAMEGHA (ANDROGRAPHIS PANNICULATA)WSR INDIAN AND SRI LANKAN LITERATURE

Abstract

Acharyas of Ayurveda scientifically categorised various drugs under the topic of Ganas and Vargas based on guna karma and therapeutic uses. The classical text is an authentic source for drug identification, therapeutic activities and substitutes. Kalamegha is one such drug botanically identified as Andrographis panniculata, dis-tributed in the plain regions of the Indian subcontinent. This plant is widely used in Ayurveda, Siddha, homoeo-pathic, and Sri Lanka's traditional medicine systems. It is indicated in Kushta, kandu, Shopa, yakrith roga , kri-mi and jwara. Andrographoloids and Neo andrographoloids are the active principles that prevent oxidative damage and inhibit the binding of toxic metabolites to DNA. Hence used for treating anti-inflammatory, hepato-protective, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, antioxidant, anti-parasitic, anti-diarrheal and several infectious diseases rang-ing from malaria to dysentery. The study aims to explore the review literature of Kalamegha from all the medical classical texts and journals of Indian and Sri Lankan origin. And present a summary of the available records. According to references, in different geographical regions, Kalamegha is termed as Bhunimba, bunimo, kiratha thikta, desh kiratha, bin Kohomba, etc., having tikta rasa, laghu ruksha guna, ushna veerya, katu vipaka and kapha pitta hara, deepana and pachana properties. Literary review plays a vital role as it aids in the identifica-tion of the drugs and therapeutic utilities of outspread drugs in different geographic regions. Since the Kalamegh plant is widely distributed in India and Sri Lanka, an attempt was made to record the uniformity and diversities of the morphological and therapeutic utilities of the Kalmegha.