Botanical Name
Embelia ribes Burm.f.
Family
Myrsinaceae.
Synonyms
Embelia ribes var. pachyphylla Chun ex C.Y.Wu & C.Chen, Embelia ribes subsp. pachyphylla (C.Y.Wu & C.Chen) Pipoly & C.Chen., Embelia ribes var. penangiana Oliv, Embelia ribes var. rugosa King & Gamble.
Regional Name
English : Embelia, False Black Pepper, Hindi : Vayavidanga, Bhabhiranga, Baberang, Sanskrit : Jantughna, Krmighna, Vella, Krmihara, Krmiripu, Urdu : Baobarang, Babrang, Punjabi : Babrung, Vavaring, Assamese : Vidang, Bengali : Vidang, Gujrati : Vavding, Vavading, Vayavadang, Kannada : Vayuvilanga, Vayuvidanga, Kashmiri : Babading, Malayalam : Vizhalari, Vizalari, Marathi : Vavading, Vavding, Oriya : Bidanga, Vidanga, Tamil : Vayuvilangam, Vayuvidangam, Telugu : Vayuvidangalu.
Part Used
Fruit & Seeds.
Description
It is an Indo-Malesian species, reported from India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and S.China. It is found to occur throughout India in Central Himalayas, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Up to an altitude of 1600 m. Vidanga is a large perennial scandent evergreen shrub, 1.2-2.5 m high, with long slender, flexible branches. Leaves are elliptic lanceolate or ovate lanceolate, entire, leathery. Flowers white with red or yellow barred throats, in spikes with large bracts. Capsules clavate, longitudinally channaled, 1.9-2.2 cm long, Fruit, are brownish-black, globular 2-4 mm in diameter.
Phytoconstituents
It contains Benzoquinones,3 (2H)-Benzofuran, alkaloid (Christembine),Embelin, Embelic acid, Embelinol, Embeliol, Homoembelin, Vilangine, Quarvitol, Quercitol, tannin and essential oil.
Ayurvedic Properties
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Guna : Laghu, Ruksa, Tiksna, Vipaka : Katu, Virya : Usna, Karma : Anulomana, Dipana, Krminasana, Vatakaphapaha.
Ayurvedic Applications
Sula, Krmiroga, Udararoga, Adhmina.
Medicinal Uses
Vidanga is useful in intestinal worms, skin diseases, leprosy, pruritus, nervous debility, dyspepsia, jaundice, flatulence, colic, constipation, strangury, tumors, asthma, bronchitis, dental caries, difficult breathing, cardiac diseases, psychological disorders, ringworm, headache, fever, emaciation and general debility, poisoning and as rejuvinative.