barahi :

Substitute:

Vrinda madhava mentions Charmakaraluka as substitute for Varahikanda

Controversy:

The controversy of Varahi might have started with the word Aaluka. The word Aaluka has been mentioned in Charaka Samhita as well as Sushruta Samhita. Acharya Charaka has told Aluka as ahitatama among the kanda and Acharya Sushruta has mentioned aluka in kanda varga and has given 6 varieties of Aluka. Both the commentators of Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas have given limited information regarding the morphological descriptions about these varieties. Acharya P.V. Sharma has correlated the varieties mentioned in Sushruta and Rajanighantu with different species of Dioscorea

Commercial value:

Diosgenin obtained from Dioscorea species is one of the major sources for the commercial production of corticosteroids and steroidal contraceptives

Industrial uses of Dioscorea species includes starch, poultry, livestock feed and production of yam flour.

 It contains steroidal sapogenins, diosgenin which is the precussor for the synthesis of the steroidal hormones used in contraceptive drugs

Website Administrator

This article is incomplete. If you feel you can make a contribution, please let us know by sending email to mail@ayushvedah.com, we may consider your request. Thank you.