Namarupa Vigyana: As a tool to study the controversy of Alaabu
Meenal D. Lad , Ankita Patil
1 Professor and Head, 2 M. D. Alumni, 1,2 Department of Dravyaguna vidyan
1,2P.D.E.A.”s College of Ayurved And Research Center, Nigdi Pradhikaran, Pune, Maharashtra, India- 411044
Corresponding Author: Meenal D. Lad
E-mail: drmdlad@gmail.com
Submission: 03.12.2020 Acceptance: 23.01.2021 Publication: 28.02.2021
https://www.doi.org/10.63778/PDEASIJRAAS-ARJCPL/2021_0030
Abstract: Alaabu is a fruit bearing climber belonging to a well known family Cucurbitaceae. Species of this family belong to wild as well as edible variety which has medicinal and nutritional value. Synonyms are very important tool for classification, identification, and usage of medicinal plants in the field of Dravyaguna vidyana. Namarupa vigyana is a branch of Dravyaguna vigyana which gives an idea about the morphological characters, utility in the treatment, place of origin, habitat, historical background of that dravya on the basis of basonyms and synonyms. In Ayurvedic lexicons single synonym is used for two or more than two herbs which are totally different in morphology which creates controversy. Various Nigantu of Dravyaguna mentioned different types of Alaabu and their different synonyms. Many of them gives an idea about morphological characters, habitat, its pharmacological properties (Rasa, Guna, Virya, Vipaka), and varieties of Alaabu. Namarupa vigyana can be used as a tool to overcome controversy of Alaabu. In ancient times there was no system of morphological description of plants as done nowadays. Botanically two species can be correlated with Alaabu i.e. Lagenaria siceraria and Cucurbita maxima.