The Sanskrit term Śophaghnī can be transliterated into English as Sophaghni or Shophaghni, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)

Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭu

1) Śophaghnī (शोफघ्नी) is another name for Śāliparṇī, a medicinal plant identified with Desmodium gangeticum (sal leaved desmodium), from the Fabaceae or “legume” family of flowering plants, according to verse 4.17-20 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu. The fourth chapter (śatāhvādi-varga) of this book enumerates eighty varieties of small plants (pṛthu-kṣupa). Together with the names Śophaghnī and Śāliparṇī, there are a total of twenty-nine Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.

2) Śophaghnī (शोफघ्नी) is also mentioned as a synonym for Raktapunarnavā, a medicinal plant identified with Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. or “red spiderling” from the Nyctaginaceae or “four o'clock” family of flowering plants, according to verse 5.117-120. The fifth chapter (parpaṭādi-varga) of this book enumerates sixty varieties of smaller plants (kṣudra-kṣupa). Together with the names Śophaghnī and Raktapunarnavā, there are a total of twenty-two Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.

Unclassified Ayurveda definitions

Source: eJournal of Indian Medicine: Jajjaṭa’s Nirantarapadavyākhyā and Other Commentaries on the Carakasaṃhitā

Śophaghnī (शोफघ्नी) refers to “Hogweed” or “Pigweed”: Boerhavia diffusa Linn., and is a medicinal plant mentioned in the 7th-century Nirantarapadavyākhyā by Jejjaṭa (or Jajjaṭa): one of the earliest extant and, therefore, one of the most important commentaries on the Carakasaṃhitā.—Note: Punarnavā is a synonym of Śophaghnī.—(Cf. Indian Medicinal Plants 1:253, Arya Vaidya Sala, 1993-96.).—Note: “Two kinds of Punarnavā have been mentioned and used. They are called as śveta (white) and rakta (red). As regards the rakta variety, any of the red-flowered species of Boerhaavia i.e., Boerhaavia diffusa Linn., Boerhaavia repens Linn., and Boerhaavia repanda Willd. may be used and in practice the first these is being used. But there is difference of opinion with regard to the śveta (white) variety. White flowered species i.e., Boerhaavia verticillata or any of the Trianthema species, i.e., Trianthema decandra Linn., Trianthema pentandra Linn. or Trianthema portulacastrum Linn. are generally believed to be śveta-punarnavā…”.—(Cf. Glossary of Vegetable Drugs in Bṛhattrayī 253-254, Singh and Chunekar, 1999)

context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)

1) Shophaghni in India is the name of a plant defined with Boerhavia diffusa in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Boerhavia coccinea var. leiocarpa (Heimerl) Standl. (among others).

2) Shophaghni is also identified with Desmodium gangeticum It has the synonym Aeschynomene maculata Poir. (etc.).

Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):

· Mus. Senckenberg.
· Nouveau Bulletin des Sciences, (1812)
· Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden (1994)
· Fl. Cochinch. (1790)
· Flora Indica, or ‘Descriptions of Indian Plants’ (1768)
· Encyclopédie Méthodique, Botanique (1805)

If you are looking for specific details regarding Shophaghni, for example pregnancy safety, extract dosage, diet and recipes, side effects, health benefits, chemical composition, have a look at these references.

context information

This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Śophaghnī (शोफघ्नी).—a पुनर्नवा (punarnavā) with red flowers.

Śophaghnī is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms śopha and ghnī (घ्नी).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Śophaghnī (शोफघ्नी):—[=śopha-ghnī] [from śopha] f. ‘removing swellings’, Desmodium Gangeticum, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

2) [v.s. ...] a Punar-navā with red flowers, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

[Sanskrit to German]

Shophaghni in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Shopha, Ghni.

Full-text: Raktapunarnava, Punarnava, Shaliparni.

Relevant text

Search found 2 books and stories containing Shophaghni, Shopha-ghni, Śopha-ghnī, Sopha-ghni, Śophaghnī, Sophaghni; (plurals include: Shophaghnis, ghnis, ghnīs, Śophaghnīs, Sophaghnis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Ashmarihar kwath - a drug review < [2020: Volume 9, May issue 5]

Journal of Ayurveda and Holistic Medicine

Review of Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa Linn.) w.s.r. to synonyms and Rasapanchaka from Nighantus < [Volume 11, issue 12 (2023)]

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