Himalayan Mayapple/Giriparpat

Among the treasures of medicinal plant wealth, a perennial plant Podophyllum hexandrum, also known by the name Himalayan Mayapple, has been reported to be used as an intestinal purgative and emetic, a cure for contaminated and necrotic wounds, and a tumor growth inhibitor over the ages and in modern times. The plant's rhizome contains a resin, generally and commercially known as Indian podophyllum resin, which can be processed to extract a neurotoxin called podophylotoxin or podophyllin. The key lignan in the resin is podophyllotoxin, and it is a medium-dimerized substance.

Podophyllum hexandrum Royle (Himalayan Mayapple) was known as Aindri (a divine drug) in ancient times. Its name in Hindi and Ayurveda is bantrapushi or Giriparpat The perennial herb Podophyllum hexandrum bearing the common names Himalayan May apple or Indian May apple, is native to the lower elevations of Himalayan countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and in China. In India Podophyllum hexandrum is mostly found in Alpine Himalayas (3000-4000 msl) of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttaranchal and Arunachal Pradesh. In Kashmir it has been used in traditional system of medicine from time immemorial and is locally known as Banwangun, since its red colour fruit (berry) is of the size of a small brinjal. Indian Podophyllum has a long history of usage amongst natives of the Himalayas, an aqueous extract of the roots being a common cathartic. It has also been used as a remedy in ophthalmia. Resin from the Indian plant was analyzed by Thomson in 1890, who reported 56% podophyllotoxin content.

It has different names in different languages such as Hindi name(Pari, Bakrachimaka, Bhananbakra), English name(Indian Podophyllum, Himalayan mayapple, Sinopodophyllum), Marathi name(padvel, Patvel),Bengali name(Papra), Gujarati name(Venivel), Punjabi name(Vana kakari), Sanskrit name(Laghupatra)

Part of plant used :

Root, Dried resin, Rhizome

Phytochemical constituents

Main chemical constituent includes Astragalin, Podophyllotoxin

The primary constituents are lignin glycosides, podophyllotoxin, podophyllic acid and picropodophyllin, α-peltalin and β-peltalin. The rhizomes also contain gum, starch, albumin, gallic acid, calcium oxalate, lignin flavones.

Podophyllotoxin is the major lignan present in the resin and is a dimerized product of the intermediates of the phenylpropanoid pathway.

Extensive chemical investigation of Podophyllum species has revealed the presence of a resin called podophyllin, which contains several lignans containing pharmacological properties. These include podophyllotoxin, epipodophyllotoxin, podophyllotoxone, flavonoids such as quercetin, quercetin-3-glycoside 4-demethylpodophyllotoxin, podophyllotoxin glucoside, 4-dimethyl podophyllotoxin glucoside, kaempferol, kaempferol-3-glucoside, deoxypodophyllotoxin, picropodophyllotoxin, isopicropodophyllone, 4-Methyl deoxypodophyllotoxin, α-peltatin and S- peltatin. The rhizomes and roots of the plant contain anti-tumor lignans such as podophyllotoxin and podophyllotoxin 4-O-glucosid

Properties and Benefits

Rasa (Taste) – Tikta (Bitter), Katu (Pungent)
Guna (Qualities) – Laghu (Light for digestion), Teekshna (Strong in nature)
Taste conversation digestion – Katu (pungent)
Veerya (Potency) – Ushna (Hot)
Effects on Tridosha – Pittahara (reduces vitiated pitta dosha)
Click here to explore more information about Tridosha (vata-Kapha-Pitta)
Rechaka (purgative)

Uses, Remedies, Benefits and Application

1) The paste prepared from the root of Himalayan Mayapple is used effectively for external application over warts. Care should be taken that the healthy skin and tissue around the wart are not touched with the paste of the herb as it can damage the healthy skin.

2) Gum resin of Podophyllum hexandrum is given in a dose of 100-150 mg mixed with hot water to cause purgation and beneficial in patients suffering from severe constipation and intestinal worms.

Click here to explore more about Hot water

3) In condition of severe skin allergy leading to thickening of skin and depigmentation, the paste of the root of Podophyllum hexandrum is applied over the affected area.

4) This leads to localized irritation and damage to the skin leading to regrowth of healthy tissue.

5) Patients suffering from hypo tension can be given the root of this plant in a dose of 250-500 mg to increase the heart rate.

6) Root paste is applied on ulcers, cuts and wounds.

7) Rhizomes are used for typhoid fever, jaundice, dysentery, chronic hepatitis, scofula, rheumatism, skin diseases, tumerous growth, kidney & bladder problems.

8) Powder obtained from the dried root is administeredorally along with water to counter tumors, a paste made with root powder mixed with oil is used as a remedy to skin diseases such as rashes and eczema.

9) Pericarp of mature red fruit is used to treat eye woundsof cattle.

10) The crushed leaves and roots are applied to cure skin diseases.

Side effects

The resin is toxic and hence should be used after consultation of Ayurveda practitioner
It can cause severe purgation, burning of the skin and damage to the local tissues if not administered properly.
Not ideal for Patients suffering from any cardiovascular disease

Note :

It contains chemical compound called podophyllotoxin, used for treatment of specific types of cancers. The species has been indiscriminately harvested from the wild, to meet the ever-increasing demand of the pharmaceutical industries and consequently under great threat as the regeneration is less than the harvesting rate. Therefore, this species needs immediate attention for its protection and conservation.
It is an important, endemic medicinal plant species of Himalaya. It is used in Unani System of Medicine under the name of 'Papra'. In Kashmir Himalaya it is used to treat various diseases by local medicinemen, but now it is listed in rare drugs. In Unani Medicine the plant species has been used to treat various ailments like constipation, fever, jaundice, liver disorders, syphilis, diseases of lymph glands etc.

Podophyllotoxin is most important for its use in the synthesis of anti-cancer drugs etoposide teniposide and etophos. These compounds have been used for the treatment of lung and testicular cancers as well a certain leukemia’s.

- The mechanism of the action of Podophyllum and its active constituents on tumors in completely understood. It has been found that the necrosis is a direct consequence of cytotoxic effect on tumor tissue, a rapidand marked reduction of the cytochorme oxidase was observed in tumor homogenates from animal treated with the Podophyllum derivates.

Niryasa (resinous substance)

Niryasa (resinous substance) is defined as that which is secreted in the form of a liquid from the plant as a result of increased plant`s temperature. This definition indirectly hints at the defensive mechanism taking place in the plant during the secretion of niryasa. Increased temperature is always indicates a part of defense mechanism even in human beings. Kalidasa- the author of Raghuvamsha considered niryasa as the fragrant secretion of the plant.

Anyway, the term niryasa is used in a much broader sense in Ayurveda. It encompasses all the secretions of the plant that become sticky over time. It refers to true gums, oleo- resins, oleo-gum-resins and even the latex that turns in to a gelatinous substance. It is comprehensible that many plant species secrete niryasa (resinous substance). But, as a notable botanical, 34 plant species, among which, 27 trees and 07 herbs distributed among 21 different families have gained much importance in Ayurvedic therapeutics.

Niryasa secreted by 15 plant species possess ushna veerya, among them, Hingu, Guggulu, Ahiphena, Karpoora and Kankustha need to undergo purificationprocess before being used as a medicine. This explains the fact that these resinous substances carry such compounds that are quite harmful to the human beings if used in raw form. It is a common observation that the resinous substances that possess ushna veerya act primarily as stimulants affecting different system of the body. They mainly contain volatile oil and/or alkaloids and/or glycosides and gum. In fact, their appearance on the surface of the plant is to kill the pathogen or to seal the injured part of the plant. The same compounds target the human cells in the same way as they do on the micro-organisms. Hence, there will be some sort of harmful effects produced in humans. The dosage of such resinous substance is therefore, very much small.

Niryasa secreted by 16 plant species possesses sheeta veerya. Interestingly, they act in two different ways based on the rasa present in them. i.e 1) dominant in madhura rasa and 2)dominant in kashaya rasa. Sheeta veerya yukta niryasa with dominant madhura rasa act as balya, vrishya and brimhana. While, the latter, acts asgrahi, mutra sangrahaniya, shonita sthapana, vrana ropana and even vedana sthapana by the virtue of prabhava.

Classification of herbs(34) On the chemical nature

Oleo-gum-resin: Guggulu, Kunduru, Hingu,Ushaka, Lohbana, Sarja rasa,
Oleo-resin:Anjana, Raala, Garjana tel, Rumaja, Silhaka, Karpoora, Bhimaseni karpoora, shri veshtaka, Sakmuniya
True gum: Butea gum, Indian kino gum, Babbula, Blue gum, Red gum, Citron gum, Kattira, Dhava,
Mocha rasa, Nadihingu, Jinghan gum
Dried latex: Afeem/Afuk
Resin: Ganja
Resin-gum-Laksha, Kankustha, Vana vrintaka niryasa, Bola, Rakta niryasa, Gaushira

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Refrence

Charaka Samhita
Sushruta Samhita

Dravyaguna vijnana
Kaiyyadeva nighantu
Himalayan Medicinal Plants, Advances in Botany, Production & Research, 2021, Pages 85-110
Phytomedicine, A Treasure of Pharmacologically Active Products from Plants, 2021, Pages 677-691
International Journal of Applied and Pure Science and Agriculture (IJAPSA). Volume 02, Issue 08, [August- 2016]
World Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research, 2018,4(10), 60-66
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Li et al. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2012, 12:263
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Easyayurveda
Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2019; 8(4): 1829-1833
J. Med. Plants Res. 9(9), pp. 320-325, 3 March, 2015
Int J Pharm Pharm Sci, Vol 3, Suppl 5, 261-268

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