In bazaars white nishot is mostly available now. Black if at all is sold, and then only twigs and decomposed root mostly without black are available. White is no where described by Charaka or Susruta. This is useless. White turpethum that is sold in bazaar is the root and stem of marsdenia tenacissima W & A (Asclepiadacepe). This is not purgative but somehow it has been thrust in the market by unscrupulous traders. At present the variety the Shveda Trivrt or Safheda has also come in use among Vaidyas, which have now been identified as Murva.

Powdered turpeth root when exposed to UV light has a bluish yellow fluorescence. By this way we can identify real drug.

This deplorable state of affairs can only be remedied when the drug farms are established and plants cultivated with proper care.

In bazaars white nishot is mostly available now. Black if at all is sold, and then only twigs and decomposed root mostly without black are available. White is no where described by Charaka or Susruta. This is useless. White turpethum that is sold in bazaar is the root and stem of marsdenia tenacissima W & A (Asclepiadacepe). This is not purgative but somehow it has been thrust in the market by unscrupulous traders. At present the variety the Shveda Trivrt or Safheda has also come in use among Vaidyas, which have now been identified as Murva.

Powdered turpeth root when exposed to UV light has a bluish yellow fluorescence. By this way we can identify real drug.

This deplorable state of affairs can only be remedied when the drug farms are established and plants cultivated with proper care.

It was identified before as Argyreia speciosa but looking to the description as given by the commentator of Sidhhamantra in Astang Samgraha that :

Stem should be triangular.

Flowers should be red or crimson.

Fruits yellow.

It must be a gigantic creeper.

Leaves should be of the shape of betel leaves with milky juice.

The whole plant should be pubescent.

All this corresponds with Ipomaea petaloidea

Chois; A. speciosa has not triangular stems and red flowers etc. Roots, leaves, seeds are used in medicine. In Kanpur the roots of A. speciosa are sold as black Trivrt (Operculina turpethum). The seeds of Thespesia populnea (Malvaceae) Parasapipala are sold as the seeds of Vrddhadaru which are considered aphrodisiac. Adhoguda (Charaka, Sutra) has been identified by Cakrapani as Vrddhadaru, but Guda means Snuhi = Euphorbia nerifolia (Euphorbiaceae). Adhoguda is a purgative and it is in the list of mulini i.e. whose roots are

to be used as purgative. So Adhoguda is not Vrdhhadaru.

Antahcotarpushpi is the correct identification of the flowers of convolvulaceae. They are really so i.e. corolla campanulate, purplish white with deep rose coloured. The leaves of Ipomaea petaloidea are cordate, acute, glabrous, above, thickly nerved beneath and silky silvery. The word Argyreia means white or silver like. The upper side of the leaf is used to act as a discutient, the under or white side is maturant. The leaves are very useful to disperse the swellings due to boils. They are also employed in diabetic carbuncle. It prevents old age or kills the old or advancing age i.e. it makes old men even fit for taking a wife. It means that it is a good aphrodisiac. It is also a good alternative or rejuvenating. 

In medicine roots should be used. In Gujarat, Samudrasosha is Argeria speciosa or Petaloidea. But in Hindi, Salvia piebeia (Labiateae) is taken as Samudrasosha.