KATIRA

KATIRA
English : Gum tragacanth/Astragal
Urdu : Karira/Gond katira/Anjira
Telugu : __
Description :
Astragalus is a large genus or herbs or under-shrubs,comprising about 1600 species distributed from asia minor through Khurdistan to Iraq, Iran, Greece,Turkey, Syria and north -western India. A few of these species,especially Astragalus gummifier are the surface of the commercially important gum tragacanth. About 70 species of Astragalus are reported to occur in India and Pakisthan. Of these, Astragalus hamosus, Linn. Astragalus multiceps,, Wall. And Astragalus tribulodes, Delile are medicinally used as emollients and demulcents etc.
Another species known as Indian tragacanth/ Sterculia gum/ Karaya gum, which is produced in India,Pakisthan and Africa,is a substitute for the true tragacanth. It is obtained from Sterculia urens,Roxb. And other species of Sterculia.
Tragacanth is obtained on making incisions, usually at the base of the stem and the oozing gum is allowed to dry before it is collected.It forms irregularly flattened, more or less curved,ribbon- like flakes, about 25 mm long and 12 mm broad.It is white or pale yellowish- white, horny, translucent, and breaks with a short fracture.It is odourless and almost tasteless. Only a part of the gum is soluble in water and the rest swells to a highly viscous gel, absorbing a large qunatity of water.
Action and Uses:
Gum tragacanth is aggultinant, lexative , cooling, styptic, fattering ,emollient and demulcent.It is used alone, or with other drugs in liniments, to soften the skin and to cure dryness of the skin and fissued lips from exposure to cold. It is included in purgatives’ composition to correct their side-effects.It is used alone with fresh milk.It is included in the formulations which are used as demulcent and styptic in cases of acute cough, sore-throat,hoarseness of voice and haemoptysis.It is also used beneficially in intestinal ulceration,Kidney ulceration and bladder irritation.
Ibn Sina’s View:
It is cold and dry. It has gum-like characters but also has desiccant effect.

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