East Indian ArrowRoot: Uses, Medicines, Research, Side Effects

Tavaksheera- Curcuma angustifolia is a plant mentioned in Ayurveda for the treatment of cough, dyspnea, general debility, fever and diarrhea. 

Latin name- Curcuma angustifolia Roxb.
Family- Zingiberaceae (Ardraka kula)

Vernacular names

Names in different languages:
Hindi name- Tavakhira, Tikhura
English name- Indian arrow root, Narrow leaved Turmeric
Bengali name- Tikur
Gujarati name – Tavakhara
Kannada name- Kuve gadde
Malayalam name- Koova
Manipuri name- Yaipan
Marathi name- Tavakhira, Tavakila
Tamil name- Arutkilangu, Kua
Telugu name- Ararutgaddulu
Deccan – Ararutkegadde
North Kanara : Kuvagudde
Persian : Tavashra

Sanskrit synonyms

Sanskrit Synonyms of Tavaksheeri:
Godhuma pistika- The powder of root resembles wheat powder
Tandulodbava- The powder resembles rice powder
Shuba, Kshirika, Tugaksheeri
Parthivi – Rhizomes grows underground
Payakshiri – Powder prepared from rhizome of tavakshiri are white in color

Morphology

Morphology of Curcuma angustifolia:
Tavaksheera is a small herb, growing to a height of 1-2 feet and resembling a turmeric plant. Leaves are typically simple, green, glabrous, and lanceolate, with margins that are entire. They appear in an opposite arrangement and are deciduous. They are 1-2 feet long and 2-3 inches wide. The leaf stalk is 0.5-1 foot long. The flowers are 1 inch long and yellow-green in color. They are seen in the rainy season. The plant is seen in the hilly regions of India and cultivated in Bengal and South India for its medicinal properties. The rhizome which can grow up 4 feet, is dug from earth, dried well and later powdered before being used.

How to use Arrowroot for burning urination?

Properties, part used, dosage

Medicinal properties of East Indian Arrowroot:
Rasa (Taste) – Madhura (Sweet)
Guna (Qualities) – Laghu (Light for digestion), Snigdha (Slimy in nature)
Vipaka – Madhura (Undergoes sweet taste after digestion)
Veerya (Potency) – Sheeta (Cold)
Karma (Actions) – Vatapitta shamaka (reduces vitiated vata and pitta dosha)
Pharmacological action – Constipative, wound healing

Part used- Rhizome
Dosage- Powder- 10 to 15 g

Tavakshiri is the starch prepared from rhizome of Curcuma angustifolia and used as a substitute of true root (Maranta arundinacea)
Tavakshiri is used as a substitute for Vamsalochana

Chemical composition

Chemical composition of Curcuma angustifolia:
The rhizomes yield 9.4% of an essential oil containing alpha-pinene 1.92, beta-pinene 12.92, dar-curcumene 27.85, d-camphor 12.22, d-alpha-terpineol 13.42, borneol 7.2, zingiberol 9.5 and a sesquiterpene alcohol 8%. Starch and sugar are the other main components of this plant.

Uses of Tavaksheeri:

• 10 g of Tavaksheeri powder is added with a glass of milk and sugar candy and consumed as a health drink to improve the physical strength and improve the potency.
• 5 g of Arrow root powder is mixed with milk and consumed in conditions of burning micturition, difficulty in micturition and fever.
• 2-3 g of Curcuma angustifolia is mixed with honey and consumed to treat cough and dyspnea.
• To treat diarrhea caused due to indigestion, 5 g of arrow root powder is mixed with hot water and consumed.
• 5-10 g of arrow root powder is mixed with milk and given in patients suffering with acidity and gastric reflux disorder.

Sanskrit verse

Uses, Indications

Uses as per Ayurveda:
Balya – improves strength and immunity
Vrushya – aphrodisiac, improves vigor
Brumhana – nourishing, nutritious
Sheetala – coolant

Indicated in
Raktapitta –Bleeding disorders such as nasal bleeding, heavy periods, etc
Kamala – Jaundice, Liver diseases
Pandu – anemia
Trushna – excessive thirst
Shwasa – asthma and chronic respiratory disorders
Kasa – cough, cold
Kshaya – depletion of body tissues, weight loss, tuberculosis
Asra – blood disorders such as abscess, skin disorders, bleeding disorders such as menorrhagia, nasal bleeding etc.
Adverse effect: No adverse effect is known or reported after the regular use of tavaksheeri. 

Ayurvedic medicines

Ayurvedic medicines containing Tuvaksheeri:
Kerakhand granules: This is a proprietary ayurvedic medicine in granule form used in the treatment of internal infections like peptic ulcer, rheumatoid arthritis, gastric reflux etc.

Interaction with medicines, supplements

Can this be used while taking Homeopathic medicine?
Yes. This product does not react with homeopathic medicine.

Can this medicine be continued while taking supplements like multivitamin tablets, Omega 3 fatty acids etc?
Yes. Generally, this product goes well with most dietary supplements. However, if you are taking more than one product per day, please consult your doctor for an opinion.

With western medicines
Seek your doctor’s advice if you are taking this product along with other western (allopathic / modern) medicines. Some Ayurvedic herbs can interact with modern medicine.
If both Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are advised together, then it is best to take Allopathic medicine first, wait for 30 minutes and then take the Ayurvedic medicine.

Research

Research articles related to Curcuma angustifolia:
Management of Hyperacidity: In the present clinical study, the efficacy of Tugaksheeree was studied on 67 patients of Amlapitta (Hyperacidity). The efficacy of drug Tugaksheeree was studied through internal administration of the starches of C. angustifolia Roxb. (Fam. Zingiberaceae) in Group I and M. arundinacea Linn. (Fam. Marantaceae) in Group II with the dose of 4 g TID with water for 30 days. Both the drugs were found highly effective in treating Amlapitta.

Anti- oxidant action: The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy for antioxidant activity of both the crude (non-enzymatic) and enzymatic extracts of three important medicinal plants Curcuma zedoaria, Curcuma caesia and Curcuma angustifolia respectively. Both the enzymatic and crude extracts of the rhizome and leaves of these plants have been analyzed for their free radical-scavenging activity in different in vitro systems. These findings indicate that the non-enzymatic extracts prove to be a better scavenger of free radical in comparison to enzymatic extracts in all the three Curcuma species.

Sanskrit synonyms

Sanskrit Synonyms of Tavaksheeri:
Many synonyms of Tavaksheeri are similar to Vamshalochana, which is another herb called Bambusa arundinacea / Bambusa bambos
Godhuma pistika- The powder of root resembles wheat powder
Tandulodbava- The powder resembles rice powder
Palasha Gandha – Odor resembles to that of Palasha – Butea monosperma
Shuba – Auspicious
Ksheerika – yields latex
Tugaksheeri, Tvak ksheeri, Vamshi, Vamshaja, Vamshalochana, Vamsha Vivardhini, Vainavi,

Classical categorization

Bhavaprakasha- Haritakyadi varga
Dhanvantari Nighantu- Shatapushpadi varga
Raja Nighantu- Pippalyadi varga
Kaiyadeva Nighantu – Aushadhi Varga

Vagbhatu alone used the synonym Tavaksiri. Tavaksiri is the starch obtained from the rhizomes at curcuma angustifolia and called Tikhura and used as a substitute at true arrowroot (maranta arundinacea linn).

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Zingiberales
Family: Zingiberaceae
Subfamily: Zingiberoideae
Genus: Curcuma
Species: C. angustifolia

Distribution

It is distributed at the 3000 – 4000 ft in the temperature at Himalayan ranges.

Controversy

The Tavakshiri is known as the curcuma angustifolia from the Zingiberaceae family. It has no controversy in the books &  treatises of the plant Taxonomy books and in books of medicinal plants but in the era of Nighantus the Tavakshiri is very much controversial with Vamshalochand. In Bhavprakasha nighantu – Bhavamishra had given the same synonyms of Tavakshiri like vamshi, vamsharochana, vamshaja, vamsha, kshiri etc. So, according to him vamsharochand and Tavakshiri both are one and the same only. According to kaideva nighantu, again vamsha rochana is named as one of the synonyms of Tavakshiri only. But like that controversy is not there in case of samhitha kala. So, after discussion of controversy we can get the conclusion that in nighantu kala it was controversial. Then Bapalal Vaidhya said that the Tugakshiri (synonym of Tavakshiri) is other than vamsharochana and it is found in Danga forest of Gujarat.

Author: Dr.B.K.Prashanth M.D (Ayu), Ph.D
E mail: drprashanthbk@gmail.com
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Sthanika Karma (Systemic Action)

Internal administration-
Digestive System – Unctuous, Absorbent, . Indicated in Diarrhea, Dysentery, Malabsorption syndrome, etc.
Circulatory system – Cardio protective, indicated in bleeding disorders.
Respiratory system – Indicated in Cough, breathing issues etc.
Reproductive system – Aphrodisiac
Excretory System – Increases urine production. indicated in dysuria, inflammatory diseases of urinary tract, burning micturition etc.
Satmikarana – Indicated in general debility
Tapakrama – indicated in fever, burning sensation