Botanical Name

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson

Family

Araceae.

Synonyms

Amorphophallus campanulatus Decne. Amorphophallus chatty Andrews, Pythion  campanulatum Mart.Amorphophallus dixenii K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen, Amorphophallus  gigantiflorus  Hayata, Amorphophallus rex Prain, Arum phalliferum Oken., Dracontium polyphyllum G.Forst.

Regional Name

English : Elephant Foot, Hindi : Suranakanda, Zamikanda, Sansk. : Arsoghna, Kandala, Urdu. : Zamin-qand, Zamikand, Beng. : Ole, Guj. : Sooran, Kan. : Suranagadde, Mal. : Chena, Kattuchena, Kattuchenai, Cena Karana, Mar. : Jungli Suran, Suran, Ori. : Olooakanda, Suran, Punj. : Gimikanda, Tam. : Karunai Kizhangu, Tel. : Mancai Kanda Durada Gadda.

Description

It is a stout, herbaceous plant, cultivated throughout the plains of the country in several parts West Bengal, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Orissa. It is growing in secondary forests, shrub forests and grasslands of arid valley areas at an elevation of 700 meters. This foot yam grows in wild form in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and several other parts of Southeast Asian countries. Drug occurs as cut pieces of different shapes and sizes; external surface of cork blackish-brown, rough due to numerous scars and a few adventitious roots, internal portion creamish white; fracture, short; taste, acrid.

Part Used

Corm.

Phytoconstituents

Betulinic Acid, β-Sitosterol, Stigmasterol, Lupeol, Triacontane, Glucose, Galactose, Rhamnose and Xylose.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Katu, Kasaya, Guna : Laghu, Ruksa, Vasada, Virya : Usna, Vipaka : Katu, Karma : Dipana, Kaphahara, Rucya, Visambhi, Vatakara Pittakara, Gudakilahrt, Raktapittakara, Dadrukara, Kusthakara.

Ayurvedic Applications

Arsa, Plihagulma, Svasa, Kasa, Asthila.

Medicinal Uses

It is useful in  cough, bronchitis, asthma, arthralgia, opthalmia, piles, elephantiasis, tumors, inflammations, haemorrhoids, haemorrhages, vomiting, anorexia, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, constipation, stomach pain,  helminthiasis hepatopathy, splenopathy, amenorrhoea, fatigue, anaemia dysmenorrhoea, seminal weakness and general debility.