Agastya – Sesbania Grandiflora

Introduction of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

Agastya is one of ornamental tree having high economic importance. The Swamp pea or cork wood tree is nothing but Agastya. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine for Naktandhya (night blindness), Vatarakta (gout) and Jwara (fever). Four varieties of Agastya has been mentioned by Raja Nighantu based on the color of the flower. Charaka did not mention this drug whereas Sushruta classified it under Shaka varga.

Apart from being grown for ornament, Agastya is grown as a support for pepper and betel vines and as shade plant for coconut seedlings.

Literary Review of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

• Chakara has not mentioned about Agastya Sesbania grandiflora.
• Sushruta described it under Saka Varga (su.su-46).
• Vagbhatta quoted Agastya Sesbania grandiflora as Kumbha yoni in Asthtanga Hridayam Uttara 13.
• Sushruta highlighted the utility of Agastya sesbania grandiflora in Naktandhya (night blindness).
• In Harita Samhita Chikitsa, this drug has been mentioned.
• All Nighantus have described about this drug. In Nighantu Adarsha, it is mentioned under Palashadi Varga; Raja Nighantu has mentioned this drug under Karaveeradi Varga; Bhava Prakasha has quoted this drug under Pushpa varga and saka varga; Kaiyyadeva Nighantu mentioned it under Aushadhi varga and Shodhala Nighantu mentioned this drug under Shimbi Dhanya Varga.
• The modern books like Indian medicinal plants, Indian materia medica, classical use of the medicinal plant Agastya has been described under the botanical name Sesbania grandiflora poir.

Types of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

Four kinds of Agastya plants are mentioned according to the color of the flower. They are –

1. Shveta (white)
2. Pita (yellow)
3. Nila (blue)
4. Rakta (red)

Commonly available are the red and white flowered plant.

Synonyms of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

• Agastya – This tree is famous in the name of Saint Agastya or Saint Agastya likes this tree. The tree blossoms during Agastya Nakshaktra in Sharada Ritu.
• Munidruma – It is very much praised by Saint Agastya.
• Vaktrapushpa – The keel petal is large and half curved.

Ayurvedic Categorization (Gana & Varga) of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

• Charaka – Not mentioned.
• Sushruta – Saka Varga.
• Vagbhata – Kumbha yoni.
• Nighantu Adarsha – Palashadi Varga.
• Bhava Prakasha – Pushpa varga, Saka varga.
• Kaiyadeva Nighantu – Aushadhi Varga.
• Raja Nighantu – Karaviradi Varga.
• Shodhala Nighantu – Shimbi Dhanya Varga.

Vernacular names (Name in different language) of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

• English – Swamp pea, Corkwood tree, Sesban, vegetable humming bird
• Kannada – Agasi, Agaci
• Hindi – Agastya, Hathya, Agast, Basna
• Tamil – Attikkirai
• Telugu – Avesi, Avasinara
• Malayalam – Akatti, Agatti, Alti, Argatti
• Bengali – Agasti, Agusa, Bak, Buka, Buko
• Gujarati – Agathio
• Marathi – Agastha, Agathi, Chopchini, Shevari
• Urdu – Agast

System Classification Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

• Kingdom – Plantae
• Sub Kingdom – Trachebionta (Vascular plants)
• Division – Magnoliphyta (Flowering Plants)
• Class – Magnolipsida (Dicotyledons)
• Sub class – Rosidae
• Order – Fabales
• Family – Fabaceae
• Genus – Sesbania
• Species – Grandiflora

Useful Parts (in medicine) of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

Panchanga (whole plant)

• Flowers
• Leaves
• Bark
• Roots
• Fruits

Dosage of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

• Churna (powder) – 5 – 10 gm.
• Swarasa (juice) – 3 – 6 ml.
• Kwatha (decoction) – 10 – 20 ml.

Chemical Constitutents Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

• Grandiflorol
• Kaempferol 3
• 7-diglucoside, leucocuanidin
• Cyaniding – 3-glucoside
• Arginine
• Cystine
• Histidine
• Isoleucine
• Phenylalanine
• Tryptophan
• Valine
• Threonine alanine
• Aspargine
• Aspartic acid
• Galactose
• Rhamnose and gluoronic acid

Ayurvedic Properties of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

• Rasa – Tikta
• Guna – Laghu, Ruksha
• Veerya – Shita
• Vipaka – Katu
• Dosha Karma – Kapha Pitta Shamaka, Vatakara

Karma (Actions) of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

Shotha hara Vrana shodhana Ropana Bhutaghna Shirovirechana Chakshushya Medhya Dipana Anulomana Krimighna

Grahi Shula prashamana Sleshmanisaraka Kasahara Swedajanana Twachya Visphotaghna Jwaraghna Vishaghna Raktapitta shamaka

Therapeutic Uses of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

• The root bark of red flowered variety is useful in painful and rheumatic swelling and arthralgia.
• Root is given with honey in catarrh.
• The bark is astringent, cooling, bitter, tonic, antihelmentic and febrifuge.
• Pounded bark is externally applied to cure scabies.
• Juice of bark is good for dyspepsia, diarhoea and gastralgia.
• Decoction of bark added with salt and asafoetida relieves colic.
• Leaves are acrid, bitter, sweet, cooling, tonic, antipyretic and diuretic.
• Leaf juice is useful in nasal catarrh, night blindness, epilepsy and headache.
• Leaves are chewed to disinfect mouth and throat and are useful in leprous eruptions.
• Flowers are cooling, bitter, astringent, acrid, emollient, laxative and antipyretic.
• Juice of flowers is applied to eyes for night blindness.
• Fruits are useful in flatulent, colic, anaemia and emaciation.

Prayoga (indications) Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

Bahya Prayoga (Externa Uses) –

Sandhi Vata Vata rakta Vrana Visphota Charma Vikara Netravikara

Naktandhya Drishtimandya Pratisyaya Pinasa Shirahshula Kaphaja jwara

Abhyantara prayoga (Internal Uses) –

Apasmara Sangyanash Mashtishka daubalya Udara vikara Krmi Shula Vibandha Agnimandya Atisara Sangrahani

Kasa Pratisyaya Pinasa Kshaya Sveta pradar Garbhashaya shotha Puya meha Mutra vikara Twak vikara Vaivarnya Sannipataja Jwara

Vishista Yoga (Pharmaceutical Preaparations) Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

• Grahanikapata rasa
• Ratnagiri rasa
• Pittakasantaka rasa
• Agastya Rasayana
• Agastya Haritaki

Photographs of Agastya Sesbania Grandiflora – 

(Click on image to enlarge)

Image Source – theferns.info