Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Vol. 8 (3), July 2009, pp. 364-368

Tāmalakī — An analytical review

Binay Sen* & SD Dubey

Department of Dravyaguna, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 5, Uttar Pradesh

E-mail: senbinay@yahoo.com

Received 1 May 2007 revised 22 April 2008

Āyurvedic Materia Medica consists of crude drugs mainly of plant origin and there is considerable variation in the

identity of the genuine species of the source plant. Vernacular names of plant signify habitat, morphological characters,

useful parts, properties, actions, etc. are the keys of plant identification in Āyurveda. In many cases, one synonym is found

for different plants. It is because of similar habitat, gross morphological characters, broad spectrum of therapeutic indices

and so on. Hence, by single name/synonym, it is natural to consider more than one plant. Tāmalakī may be considered as an

example of this phenomenon. In this study an attempt has been made to designate plant species of Tāmalakī by analyzing

different views of some Āyurvedic and modern scholars.

Keywords: Āyurveda, Tāmalakī, Śvāsa, Gunakarma, Bhūmyāmalakī

IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K36/00, A61P1/04, A61P1/06, A61P1/08, A61P9/00, A61P11/00, A61P11/06, A61P11/10, A61P13/00,

A61P13/02

The word Tāmalakī and its commonly accepted

synonyms Bhūmyāmalakī are not found in Vedas and

works of Kālidāsa. Except Tāmalakī, no other

synonyms are found in Caraka Samhitā (CS), Suśruta

Samhitā (SS), Astāńga Hrdaya (AH) and Astāńga

Samgraha (AS). In these texts, it is used both externally

and internally in different formulations for multi-

therapeutic purposes. In CS, it appeared in group of

Kāsahara and Śvāsahara Mahākasāya and in Madhura-

skandha1,2

. The drugs, which are Madhura (sweet),

predominantly Madhura, Madhura in Vipāka

(metabolism) or Madhura in Prabhāva (effect) are

included in this group3. It is also included in Rasāyana,

Balya and Brmhanīya preparations like Cyavanaprāśa,

Amrtaprāśa Ghrta, Madhuparnādi Taila and Baladī

Basti4. A single drug remedy (Tāmalakī Śrta/decoction)

is found in the treatment of Rājayaksmā associated with

6 symptomatology5. From this description it is clear that

Caraka has described Gunakarmas (properties and

actions) of Tāmalakī. In Suśruta Samhitā, the plant is

neither found in any Gana nor in Varga. Few

preparations of Ghrta have been used in the treatment of

Jīrnajvara, Śvāsa, etc.6 Both Vāgbhatas have the

similar views to that of Caraka. In addition, some

new formulations like Jīvantyādi Cūrna (AH),

Nidigdhikādi Ghrta, Kāsmaryādi Ghrta and Pāthādi

Cūrna (AS), are prescribed in Śvāsa, Kāsa, Yaksmā

etc.7,8

In Hārīta Samhitā, though the word Tāmalakī is

not mentioned but in few preparations like

Cyavanaprāśa and Balādi Ghrta, the word Cāmalakī

and Tamālakī appeared, respectively9. It seems to be

printing mistake and not the new synonyms, as neither

the earlier nor the later authors have mentioned them

in any of the context. In Cikitsāgranthas, Cakrapāni

was the first physician, who has mentioned its single

external application (as Lepa) in eye pain with the

name Bhūmyāmalakī10

. The synonym Bhūdhātrī and

Bhūmyāmalakī are first appeared in Astāńga Nighantu

(18th Century AD) and Paryāyaratnamālā (19

th Century

AD), respectively11,12

. Successive Nighantukāras also

include some more synonyms. These synonyms are

found in different formulations in Cikitsāgranthas like

Kūdhātrī, Bhūmyāmalaka, Bhūmyāmalī, Jatā, etc.13-16

The actions and indications are more or less similar. The

word Tāmalakyau has been mentioned by Bañgasena,

perhaps indicating its two varieties17

.

While going through the different views of

Nighantukāras and Kosakāras, it is observed more

than hundred synonyms for Tāmalakī or

Bhūmyāmalakī. Tāmalakī has appeared in Siddhasāra

Nighantu (7th Century AD) with two synonyms Ajhatā

and Bahu-pattrā18

. Almost all the authors have

accepted Tāmalakī, Bhūmyāmalakī and Bhūdhātrī as

synonymous. Botanical identification of genuine ____________

*Corresponding author

SEN & DUBEY: TĀMALAKĪ - AN ANALYTICAL REVIEW

365

sources of Tāmalakī on the basis of synonyms is quite

a difficult task because it has been made complicated

in these texts by giving similar synonym to more than

one plant; For example Vitunnaka, Śivā, Uttamā, Vīrā,

Vrsyā, Visaghnī, Āmalakī, Amrtā, Uccatā are used for

it, are well known different plants19-22

. Apart from

this, few synonyms like Sūksmaphalā, Phalamālā and

Bahuphalā given to it are indicative of general

characters of a group (Genus-Phyllanthus) of plant

taken as Tāmalakī in practice11,23

. Therefore, it is

necessary to study the Gunakarma in available

Nighantus and Kosas to identify the possible sources

of it. Among the Nighantus it is surprisingly noticed

that the source plant described in Rāja Nighantu (RN)

is Kasāya and Amla22

whereas in Bhāva Prakāśa

Nighantu (BN) is Tikta, Kasāya and Madhura in

Rasa24

. The actions and indications are also found

somewhat different in them. The plant mentioned in

RN is having predominant action in urinary system

whereas in BN, the same is in respiratory system.

Moreover, the synonyms like Bhūmyāmalī,

Drdhapādī, Jatā, Visaghni (RN) and Bhūmyāmalakī,

Ajatā (BN) strongly suggest that both the plants are

different species of Tāmalakī. Further, it is supported

by the description found in Sanskrit lexicon

Śabdakalpadruma in context of two plants namely

Bhūmyāmalī and Bhūmyāmalakī. Though the word

Bhūmyāmalī has been equated with Bhūmyāmalakī,

but some more synonyms are given to it, which are

not mentioned for the latter one. In respect of

properties and actions, the author has quoted RN and

BN, respectively25

. In Kaiyadeva Nighantu (KN),

synonyms Drdhapādā, Drdhā, etc. have appeared and

is considered as appetizer, useful in Kustha, Śvāsa,

etc23

. Thus, on the basis of synonyms, properties and

actions more than one plant may be considered in

these texts.

By analyzing different views of ancient

commentators, it is observed that most of them have

equated Tāmalakī with Bhūmyāmalakī or Bhūdhātrī.

In context of morphological characters, different

terminologies such as Dalaphalikā and

Sahapatraphalā are coined, which denote small

capsule (fruit), having attachment with leaf in each

axil26-28

. The interpretation given by other

commentators also signify general characters and thus

identification of any particular species on this ground

is not possible. Most of the modern authors have

taken Phyllanthus niruri Hook.f. (syn P. fraternus

Webster, Family: Euphorbiaceae) as the source plant

of Tāmalakī. But, there are different views observed

in relation to its vernacular names and botanical

sources. For example, it has not used the word

Tāmalakī for any species referred, but the synonyms

mentioned by previous authors are included for P.

urinaria Linn. and P. niruri Hook. f. On the other

hand different regional names are mentioned for P.

maderaspatensis Linn. and P. simplex Retz.29

. It

presumes that though the authors have not used the

word Tāmalakī for any of above 4 species but

accepted all in regards to their vernacular names. The

word Tamravalli (Tamra means coppery and Valli

means climber) has been used for P. urinaria Linn.,

which is not rationale with its morphological

characters, because it is erect in nature, not a

climber29

.

It has been reported that P. niruri Hook. f. (Fl Br

Ind.) non Linn. has been renamed as P. fraternus

Webster in 195730

. But most of the later authors have

ignored it and taken P. niruri and P. fraternus as

different species or subspecies. P. amarus Schum. &

Thonn., P. fraternus Webster and P. niruri auct. non

L. are considered synonymous, the source of

Bhūmyāmalakī or Tāmalakī. But in a clinical trial, the

authors have quoted P. amarus (gathered from India)

and P. niruri (gathered from Hainan Province in

China), which contradicts the previous statement and

supports both as different species31

. The Botanical

Survey of India has identified that the commonly

known P. niruri Linn. has 3 sub-species namely, P.

amarus Schum. & Thonn., P. debilis Klein. ex. Willd

and P. fraternus Webster. A reputed US taxonomist

identified P. amarus Schum. & Thonn. as a sub

species of P. niruri Linn.32

. In another report,

Botanical Survey of India, stated that the P. niruri is a

mixture of 3 distinct species namely, P. amarus,

Schum. & Thonn., P. fraternus Webster and P. debilis

Klein. ex. Willd33

. P. fraternus and P. debilis have

also been described as closet relative and both

interbreed when they come together30

. Likewise much

confusion is observed among the modern botanist

especially in relation to P. niruri and P. fraternus.

The contemporary Āyurvedic authors invariably

accepted Bhūmyāmalakī and Tāmalakī as synonyms

and taken P. niruri Linn., P. fraternus Webster, and

P. urinaria Linn. as the source plant34-36

. The other

species (P. simplex Retz. and P. maderaspatensis

Linn.) are also used in practice with the name

Bhūmyāmalakī 36

. In Kerala, Tāmalakī has been

identified as a mixture of 2 different but closely

INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNWOLEDGE, VOL.8, NO.3, JULY 2009

366

related species, viz. P. amarus Schum. & Thonn. and

P. debilis Klein. Ex. Willd 37

. Morphologically, the

most specific synonyms Jatā, Ajatā and Drdhapād(ī)ā

are observed in P. urinaria, P. fraternus and P.

amarus, respectively, (Figs. 1-4). Different

pharmacological activities reveal that P. niruri is

effective in non-bacterial upper respiratory tract

disorders and is having antioxidant property38-40

.

Practically, it is observed that it is less bitter than P.

amarus38

. On these basis Tāmalakī used in the

treatment of respiratory diseases (Śvāsa, Kāsa, etc),

Rasāyana, Balya, Brmhana purposes and appeared in

Madhura-skandha may be taken as P. frateruns

(syn. P. niruri). P. armarus has hepatoprotective

activity41-42

. Āyurveda's doctrine also supports its

effectiveness in gastrointestinal disorders, as it is

predominantly bitter and so stimulant and digestive43

.

Therefore, the source plant of Tāmalakī appeared in

context of Jvara, Gulma, Kustha and Vātarakta may

be considered as P. armarus. P. urinaria is

considered to be an excellent diuretic and much used

in dropsical affections, also in gonorrhoea and other

genitourinary troubles29,30

. It implies that it may be

successfully used in the treatment of Mūtrakrcchra,

Mūtrāghāta and other diseases where diuresis is

required.

Literally, the word Tāmalakī means thinner and

smaller (‘iÉxÉÖgSÉɺÉÉ´ÉÉàÉãÉBÉEÉÒSÉ’)44 than Āmalaki (Emblica

officinalis Gaertn.)44

. Bhūmyāmalakī, Bhūdhātrī and

Ksetrāmalakī also have the similar meaning.

Synonym Jatā defines having more fibrous root (‘VÉ] ZÉ] ºÉÆPÉÉiÉä vÉÉiÉÉä&’)45, Ajatā signifies less and short

fibrous roots (‘xÉ\É <−ÉnlÉæ +Éã{ÉÉÉÊxÉ Øº´ÉÉÉÊxÉ SÉ VÉ]É àÉÚãÉàɺªÉÉ&’) and Drdhapād(ī)ā indicates hard root

system (‘ofÃÆ {ÉÉnÆ àÉÚãÉÆ vÉÉ®ªÉÉÊiÉ <ÉÊiÉ’)46. In Nighantus,

Kosas and Cikitsāgranthas, the word Tāmalakī

stands for generic epithet, which signifies more than

SEN & DUBEY: TĀMALAKĪ - AN ANALYTICAL REVIEW

367

one species having almost similar morphological

characters and useful in different ailments. Discussion

Caraka has indicated Tāmalakī predominantly in

diseases of respiratory system and as Rasāyana. Later

on apart from above indications and actions it is used

as diuretic and hepatoprotective. It is natural that by

the name Tāmalakī more than one plant has been

taken by the physician because of similarity in

morphological characters and multiple therapeutic

indices. The word Tāmalakyau mentioned by

Bańgasena is an example. In Nighantus and Kosas the

same is more obvious. The modern authors also

followed the previous scholars by accepting more

than one species by the name Tāmalakī. The

synonyms Drdhapādī and Jatā mentioned in RN for a

single plant are not practically observed. But on the

basis of Gunakarma, Jatā (P. urinaria) should be

considered in this context. Tāmalakī of RN, KN and

BN may be indicative of 3 different species namely,

P. urinaria, P. amarus and P. fraternus on the basis

of Gunakarma and specific synonyms Jatā,

Drdhapād(ī)ā and Ajatā, respectively. To achieve the

maximum therapeutic efficacy, the specific plant may

be used accordingly.

Conclusion

It may be concluded that Tāmalakī should be

taken as generic epithet, which includes more than

one plant under the commonly accepted name

Bhūmyāmalakī in practice. P. niruri and P.

fraternus are synonymous as reported in WI. P.

amarus is a different species, which may be a

subspecies of P. fraternus. Synonyms Jatā, Ajatā

and Drdhapād(ī)ā indicate 3 different species

namely, P. urinaria, P. fraternus and P. amarus,

respectively. P. urinaria, P. fraternus and P.

amarus may be used successfully as diuretic, in

respiratory tract diseases and in gastrointestinal

(hepatic) disorders, respectively.

Acknowledgement Authors wish to pay special regards and thanks to

Lt Prof PV Sharma for his inestimable suggestions

and valuable references provided during the course of

study. Authors also extend our thanks to Prof VK

Joshi, Prof KN Dwivedi and Dr AK Singh

(Department of Dravyaguna, IMS, BHU) and Prof

NK Dubey (Depatrment of Botany, BHU) for their

valuable concerns. Authors are also thankful to Mr

OP Gupta for images acquisition. This work is part of

MD (Ay) Dravyaguna thesis of the first author.

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