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Life on Earth is intricately connected with plants,
our selfless green companions in this world. They are the silent guardians of
life of humans and thousands of other species. Every breath we take in, the
foods we eat and the traditional medicines we need to stay healthy are a
reminder of our dependence on green life, that produces oxygen for the survival
of all life in this world, accumulate biomass to feed humans and other animals and
synthesise secondary metabolites to heal. One such saviour plant is Karkatshringi,
an important traditional medicine
for cough, asthma, diarrhoea and fever.
Botanically known as Pistacia chinensis subsp. integerrima (J.L. Stewart)
Rech.f. (synonym: Pistacia integerrima J.L. Stewart ex Brandis), it
belongs to the Cashew family (Anacardiaceae). Leaves of this plant are frequently
infested by some aphid species and gets transformed into horn-like galls known
as Karkatshringi. These galls find their use in traditional herbal medicine in
India and China.
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NAMES IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES |
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English: Zebrawood plant, Crab’s claw tree Ayurvedic: Karkata,
Karkatashringi, Karkatashringikaa, Karkataakhya, Kulirashringaaya, Kuliravishaanikaa,
Vishaani Bengali: Kankihasringi,
Kakrashingi, Kandashringi, and Kakra Hindi: Kakkar, Kakra, Kakadshingi,
Kakra-singi, Kareran, Kakare, Kakarongi Sanskrit: Karkata, Chakra,
Chakrangi, Chandraspada, Ghosha, Karkataka, Karkataki, Kakah shringah,
Karhatahvaya Punjabi: Kakar, Tanbari,
Kakala, Karkarshingi, Shne, Gurgu, Kakkeran, Tungu, Kakkrangehe Pahari: Kakkar, Kakkad,
Kakkre, Kakkde, Kakdaya, Kakru Assam: Kakiasrngi Gujarati: Kakadasingi,
Kakarshingi, Kakra Kannada: Chakrangi, Kaakada shringi,
Karkaataka shringi Kashmiri: Kamaladina Malayalam: Kaarakkaadusharam,
Naattinuruv, Karkktakasingi, Karkatasringi Marathi: Kakarsingi, Kaakad
shingee, Kakra, Kaakada, Karkadasringi Oriya: Kakadashringi,
Kakadashrungi Siddha: Karkatagasingi Tamil: Kakkatashingi,
Karkata, Karukkāṭcirangi Telugu: Kakara shingi,
Kakarasimga, Kakatakashrungi Unani Kaakraasingi, Kakar Urdu: Kakra, Kakrasinghi,
Mastagi desi |
India (Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Uttrakhand), Afghanistan,
Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan up to 2400m.
MORPHOLOGY
Karkata is a medium-sized dioecious and deciduous tree
growing up to 17 m tall. Bark is rough and grey. Leaves are imparipinnately
compound, 15-25 cm long. Leaflets are opposite or subopposite, subsessile, 7-9
in number, 9-12 x 2-3 cm, lanceolate, acuminate and glabrous. Unisexual flowers,
which appear during March-May, are arranged in panicles in both male and female
plants. Male panicles are shorter and drooping, while the females are longer
and erect. Flowers are bracteate, bracts lanceolate with pubescent apex. Each
male flower has 4 sepals and 5 reddish stamens. Female flowers have 4 sepals
and 3-parted styles having recurved stigmas. Fruit is a drupe; 5-6 mm broad, smooth
and greyish brown in colour. Galls, which develop from leafstalks after
infestation by aphids, are variously shaped and horn-like and give it its name
‘shringi’ which translates into horn.
Karkata contains a large number of phytochemicals in
its different parts. Galls are the main part used as medicine. It is reported
to contain triterpenes (Pistagremic acid), essential oils (α-pinene,
terpinene-4-ol, β-pinene, Δ3-carene, limonene, γ-terpinene, α-terpineol),
flavonoids (naringenin), flavonoid glycosides (Pistacides A and B), alkaloids, fatty
acids, phenolic compounds, phytosterols, saponins, tannins and oligosaccharides
(acylated oligosaccharides integrisides A and B). Pistagremic acid is a major
bioactive biomolecule attributed to most of the medicinal properties of Karkatashringi.
MEDICINAL USES
1. Remedy for Respiratory Problems
Karkatashringi is considered one of the best
remedies for curing respiratory problems such as cough, dyspnea and asthma. It
is reported to be an excellent expectorant that helps in clearance of mucus
from the lungs. Some reports also consider Karkatashringi effective in the
treatment of tuberculosis.
Karkatashringi is valued for its anti-inflammatory
properties. It is quite beneficial in managing inflammatory conditions such as
arthritis and joint pain.
Karkata leaf galls are reported to have antioxidant
activity and thus stabilise the cell membrane low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Its antioxidant activity can be attributed to
the presence of higher total phenolics and flavonoid content in leaf galls.
Anti-bacterial activity of Karkatashringi has been
reported against many strains of pathogenic bacteria in many experimental
studies.
Karkatashringi extract has exhibited effective
antifungal activity in many experimental studies against Aspergillus flavus,
Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Fusarium solani, Microsporum canis and Trichoderma
longibrachiatum. This activity is attributed to the presence of flavonoids in
this plant.
The fruit extract of Karkata has been reported to possess
hepatoprotective activity in experimental animals by decreasing the levels of serum
alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline
phosphatase (ALP). Presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids is reported for
the hepatoprotective activity of Karkata fruits.
Cancer is a second leading cause of deaths globally after Ischaemic
Heart Disease accounting for an estimated 9.6 million deaths (1 in 6 deaths in
2018). Karkatashringi extracts have been reported to exhibit anticancer
effect against many human cell lines (Hep G2 (liver), A-498 (kidney), NCI−H226
(lung), and 2780AD (ovary)). In most of the experimental studies, Pistagremic
acid has been found to be the major bioactive phytochemical. Computational
studies on molecular mechanisms of control of cancers are also partially in
line with experimental data.
The most common cause of dementia in human beings is
Alzheimer's disease. The molecular mechanism of this disease is the
accumulation of specific amyloid proteins in the brain, followed by plaques and
shrinkage and death of brain cells. Pistagremic acid present in Karkatashringi
is reported to have anti-Alzheimer’s activity based on a hitherto unknown
mechanism through interference with the amyloidogenic pathway.
Flavonoids (such as quercetin and kaempferol) and phenolic
acids (such as gallic acid and ellagic acid) are useful in maintaining gastrointestinal
health. Karkatashringi is reported to
have anti-diarrhoeal activity due to presence of these phytochemicals in its
various parts.
Karkatashringi is valued for its anti-inflammatory
and analgesic properties, making it beneficial in managing conditions such as
arthritis, joint pain, and inflammation-related disorders.
Karkatashringi has been traditionally used in the
management of diabetes. Flavonoids possess antihyperglycemic action through
inhibition of α-glucosidase. Pistagremic acid bind to α-amylase and inhibits the
breakdown of starch into simple sugars, thus reducing the carbohydrate
assimilation in the body.
Experimental studies have shown that Karkatashringi has
anticonvulsant activity against pentylenetetrazole induced epilepsy in
zebrafish and mice animal models.
AYURVEDIC
PREPARATIONS
Karkatashringi
is one of the ingredients
in some Ayurvedic medicines such as Dasamoolarist,
Guduchyadi tailam, Kantakari avaleha, Rheumallin tablet, Ashtangavaleha, Devdarvadi
Kashaya, Balchaturbhadra churna, etc.
Some toxicological studies in animal models have suggested a toxic dose of above
1,500 mg kg−1
body weight.
