Kākolī-An important medicinal plant of Ayurveda suffering from identification syndrome

Abstract

The Vedic era was the golden period in Indian history. India had contributed a lot to the world during that period. Wherein, for the first time in the world, origin and development of culture and civilization was brought by our ancestors. At the same time Indian sages gave the legacy of Āyurveda, cosmic knowledge, yogic education, spiritual knowledge and the science of knowledge building to the world at large. In Āyurveda medicinal plants have been classified into various groups like Aṣṭavarga, Triphalā, Trikaṭu, etc. According to Ācārya Śārangadhara, Aṣṭavarga means group of eight medicinal plants viz., Kākolī, Kṣīrakākolī, Medā, Mahāmedā, Jīvaka, Riṣbhaka, Riddhī and Vṛiddhī.Among these medicinal plants Kākolī was introduced under the Shukrajanana, Snehopaga, Angamardaprashmana, Jivaneeya Dashemaani in Caraka Samhita and Kakolyadi Varga in Susruta Samhita. Description of Kākolī along with its Sanskrit synonyms, habit, habitat and medicinal properties has been mentioned in different Nighantus.