Bhallataka

Botanical Name: Semecarpus anacardium, Anacardiaceae

Other names: Bhela, Bhilawa (H), Senkottai, Erimugi (T), Marking Nut, Cashew (E).

Botany: Bhallataka is a moderate sized semi-deciduous tree, with grey bark that exfoliates in small irregular flakes. The leaves are simple, alternate, obovate-oblong, rounded at the apex, glabrous above and pubescent below. The greenish fruits are ovoid to oblong drupes that are attached to a swollen, fleshy receptacle that sits below it and turns yellow when ripe. Although some sources indicate that Bhallataka was brought to India from South America by the Portuguese, it is clearly mentioned and described in both the Sushruta and Charaka samhitas, texts which antedate the Portuguese by more than a millennia. S. anacardium is now cultivated all over the world as a food, in moist tropical forests, and in the subcontinent ranging from the sub-Himalayas and Assam in the north, to the coast of Kerala in the south ((Kirtikar and Basu 1935, 667; Warrier et al 1996, 98-102).

Part used: Pericarp of the nut, a by-product of the cashew industry.

Dravyaguna:

• Rasa: kashaya, madhura

• Vipaka: madhura

• Virya: ushna, laghu, snigdha, tikshna

• Karma: dipanapachana, bhedanam, jvaraghna, krimiaghna, kasahara, svasahara, kushtaghna, medhyam, kushtaghna, vajikarana, Vatakaphahara

• Prabhava: The Ashtanga Hrdaya (7^th cent CE) considers bhallataka fruit to be “…like fire in property” (Srikanthamurthy 2001, 196; Srikanthamurthy 1994, 100; Dash 1991, 99; Nadkarni 1954, Varrier 1996, 98).

Constituents: Bhallataka has been shown to contain the phenolic glucoside anacardoside and derivatives of anacardic acid that include a sub-class of compounds called the bhilawanols. Flavonoid constituents include semecarpuflavanone, semecarpetin, jeediflavone, galluflavanone and nallaflavanone. Bhallataka also contains an assortment of minerals, vitamins, amino acids and a fixed oil (Yoganarasimhan 2000, 493; Premalatha 2000, Gil et al 1995).

Medical Research:

Arthritis: A Siddha preparation of Semecarpus anacardium nut extract called Serankottai Nei was tested for its capacity to stabilize lysosomes obtained from liver and kidney of adjuvant-induced arthritic animals. Serankottai Nei was administered at a dose level of 150 mg/kg body weight for 14 days to arthritic animals and the total and free activity of lysosomal enzymes were significantly increased in arthritic rats, with a concomitant increase in plasma levels of protein-bound carbohydrates. Significantly increased lysosomal membrane fragility as observed in arthritic condition was reduced in Serankottai Nei -treated animals (Vijayalakshmi et al 1997). A chloroform extract of Semecarpus anacardium nuts significantly reduced acute carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, and was active against the secondary lesions of adjuvant-induced arthritis (Saraf et al 1989).

Antitumor: Researchers have suggested that there is a direct relationship between the proliferation of tumour cells and the activities of glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzymes, and to this end, studied the effect of a Semecarpus anacardium nut extract upon these enzymes in experimental mammary carcinoma in rats. A significant rise in glycolytic enzyme activities and a simultaneous fall in gluconeogenic enzyme activities were found in mammary carcinoma bearing rats. The administration of the Semecarpus extract returned these enzyme activities to their respective control activities (Sujatha and Sachdanandam 2002). A S. anacardium nut milk extract administered orally at a dose of 200 mg/kg/day for 14 days exerted an in vivo stabilizing effect on lysosomal membrane and glycoprotein content in rat hepatocellular carcinoma (Premalatha and Sachdanandam 2000a). The effect of Semecarpus anacardium nut milk extract on host detoxification system in aflatoxin B(1) induced hepatocellular carcinoma was studied in male albino rats. The oral administration of nut extract (200 mg/kg per day for 14 days) was found to be highly effective in inducing phase I and phase II biotransformation enzymes. The results showed an overall decrease of liver microsomal cytochrome P450, cytochrome b5, NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, and aniline hydroxylase with a subsequent decrease of phase II enzymes, glutathione-S-transferase and UDP-glucuronyl transferase in cancer-bearing animals. The S. anacardium nut milk extract demonstrated an anticancer activity by enhancing both phase I and phase II enzymes to near normal levels (Premalatha and Sachdanandam 2000b). The administration of a S. anacardium nut extract over a two week period following exposure to aflatoxin B(1) was shown to significantly increase the urinary excretion of unmetabolised aflatoxin B(1) in rats, when compared to controls. The nut extract was shown to induce cytochrome P(450), glutathione, and glutathione-S-transferase levels in the liver of aflatoxin B(1)-treated rats. The data suggested that an anticarcinogenic mechanism of Semecarpus anacardium nut extract acted via the suppression of aflatoxin B(1)activation and through interaction with microsomal-activating components (Premalatha and Sachdanandam 2000c). The deleterious effects of antioxidant depletion in aflatoxin B1 induced hepatocellular carcinoma was found to be controlled by the administration of Semecarpus anacardium nut extract, researchers noting a marked increase in antioxidant levels and a dramatic elevation in cytochrome P450 content (Premalatha and Sachdanandam 1999). A hot methanol extract of Semecarpus anacardium, and a resinous fraction isolated from it, demonstrated antitumour activity against P388 lymphocytic leukaemia in BDF1 mice (Indap et al 1983).

Cardiovascular: The administration of S. anacardium nut shell extract to cholesterol fed rabbits resulted in a significant reduction in serum cholesterol (73.3%) and serum LDL-Chol. (80%). The extract also prevented the accumulation of cholesterol/triglycerides in liver, heart muscle and aorta and caused a regression of plaques (75.3-83.5%) (Sharma et al 1995).

Antimicrobial: An alcoholic extract of the dried nuts of S. anacardium showed a dose dependent in vitro antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans (Sharma et al 2002).

Antioxidant: An alcoholic extract of the pericarp of Bhallataka demonstrated a significant protection against FeSO₄ induced lipid peroxidation, the mechanism of action thought to be due to the chelation or activation of endogenous antioxidant enzymes, as opposed to a direct antioxidant activity (Tripathi and Singh 2001). The effect of a Semecarpus anacardium extract was studied on hippocampal neuron cell bodies in rats subjected to stress for 14 hours a day over a 30 day period, and were compared to control rats kept in a complete nonstress condition. Ultrastructural characteristics of neuron cell bodies in the hippocampal sublayer in test animals exhibited degenerating characteristics (which included karyorrhexis, membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, chromatin fragmentation and intracellular spacing). After treatment with S. ancardium degeneration in the hippocampal neuron cell bodies was reduced by 80% (Shukla et al 2000). The effect of milk extract of Semecarpus anacardium nuts, dosed at 150 mg/kg body weight for 14 days in adjuvant arthritis in rats was shown to significantly decrease elevated lipid peroxides levels in both plasma and the liver, kidney and heart. This antioxidant effect was evidenced by the decreased level of non-enzymatic antioxidants (GSH, vitamin E, vitamin C, NPSH and TSH) and enzymatic antioxidants (catalase and GPx except SOD). The administration of the Semecarpus anacardium nut extract was found to return altered antioxidant components to near normal levels (Vijayalakshmi et al 1997).

Toxicity: A toxicological study carried out in rats administered a Siddha milk extract of Semecarpus anacardium nuts showed that acute (72 hours) and subacute (30 days) treatment did not produce mortality at any dose level given (75-2000 mg/kg body weight), nor any marked adverse alterations in hematological and biochemical parameters (Vijayalakshmi et al 2000). The sap of the tree has been shown to be quite toxic, with one reported case in the literature of severe dermatitis, anuria, and renal cortical necrosis from skin exposure (Matthai and Date 1979). Preparations of crude Bhallataka are toxic and should be avoided.

Indications: Dyspepsia, constipation, parasites, hemorrhoids, cough, asthma, leprosy, syphilis, vitiligo, rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, neuritis, diabetes, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, infertility, weakness, fatigue, cancer, hepatocarcinoma (aflatoxin-induced).

Contraindications: Pregnancy, lactation, Pittakopa.

Medicinal uses: Bhallataka has long been considered an important remedy in the treatment of a variety of complaints including rheumatism, arthritis, neuritis, liver disorders and hemorrhoids, considered “…equal to mercury in action” (Nadkarni 1954, 1120). It is also considered an important remedy in the treatment of asthma, and in skin diseases such as psoriasis, and was even highly valued in syphilis. It is one of the more important remedies, along with Yogarajaguggulu, in the treatment of amavata (rheumatoid arthritis). The pericarp contains a variety of toxic principles that can precipitate a skin rash and renal failure if the dose is too large or if the remedy is prepared incorrectly. Prepared properly however Bhallataka has been shown to be remarkably non-toxic and very safe (Vijayalakshmi et al 2000). Among the many preparations that contain bhallataka is a rasayana mentioned by the Chakradatta (12^th cent CE) called Amritabhallataka. To prepare this remedy 2.56 kg of ripe Bhallataka fruit is boiled in four times the volume of water (10 litres), and reduced to 2.56 litres. The fruits are then removed, and four times the volume of milk is added (10 litres), along with one quarter part ghee (640 g), and is slowly reduced over a low heat until all the milk has evaporated and only the original volume of ghee is obtained (i.e. 640 g). An equal weight of gur is then added (640 g) to the preparation, mixed well, and then set aside for a week. The Chakradatta states that the dose is according to the “…digestive power,” mentioning that this preparation is the “king of all rasayanas,” and may be used on an ongoing basis to promote strength and longevity (Sharma 2002, 648).

Dosage:

• Amritabhallataka: 2-5 g, b.i.d.-t.i.d., taken with four times the volume of milk, as an anupana