Kantakari Powder (Solanum Xanthocarpum)

• Description
• Additional Information

Botanical name: Solanum Xanthocarpum Sebr. & Wende.
Family: Solanaceae
English Name: Yellow Berried Nightshade

Morphology:
Kantakari is a prickly bright green colored perennial herb. The herb is woody at the base with numerous branches. The younger stems contain stellate tomentum, prickles cold-pressed, straight and yellow in color. Leaves grow up to 10 cm in length and 5 cm width. Leaves are ovate or elliptic, obtuse or subacute. Leaves are armed with yellow-colored sharp prickles on the midrib. Flowers are extra axillary. Peduncles and pedicles are short, covered and slightly hairy. Calyx grows up to 3 cm long. Fruits berry is 1.3 - 2 cm diameter, fleshy yellow or white in color with green veins, surrounded by calyx. Seeds are numerous, glabrous with 2.5 mm diameter.

Physical and chemical properties of Kantakari -
Taste - Bitter, pungent
Qualities - Light, dry, strong, piercing
Post Digestive Effect - Pungent, spicy
Potency - Hot
Effect on Dosha - Balances Kapha and Vata Dosha.

Bhavaprakasha – Guduchyadi Varga
कण्टकारी सरा तिक्ता कटुका दीपनी लघुः |
रूक्षोष्णा पाचनी कासश्वासज्वरकफानिलान् ||३५||
निहन्ति पीनसं श्वासपार्श्वपीडाहृदामयान् |
तयोः फलं कटु रसे पाके च कटुकं भवेत् |
शुक्रस्य रेचनं भेदि तिक्तं पित्ताग्निकृल्लघु ||३६||
हन्यात्कफमरुत्कण्डूकासमेदकृमिज्वरान् |
तद्वत्प्रोक्ता सिता क्षुद्रा विशेषाद्गर्भकारिणी ||३७||