लाक्षा - Laccifer lacca

लाक्षा - Laccifer lacca

लाक्षा पलंकषालक्तो 

यावो वृक्षामयो जतुः।

लाक्षा वर्ण्या हिमा बल्या

स्निग्धा च तुवरा लघुः ।

अनुष्णा कफपित्तास्रहिक्काकासज्वरप्रणुत्। व्रणोरःक्षतवीसर्पकृमिकुष्ठगदापहा । 

अलक्तको गुणैस्तद्वद्विशेषाद्व्यङ्गनाशनः।

( भा प्र )

लाक्षा तिक्ता कषायोष्णा 

स्निग्धा शोणितपित्तनुत् ।

कृमिश्लेष्मव्रणान्हन्ति 

भूतज्वरार्तिनाशिनी ॥ 

( रा नि )

समानार्थक: :-

लाक्षा,राक्षा,जतु,याव,अलक्त,द्रुमामय ।

Laccifer lacca

Family : Lacciferidae

English: Lac ,

Shellac ; Laksha .

Malayalam:

അരക്ക് Arakku

കോലരക്ക് Kolarakku

Hindi: लाख

Tamil: Kombarakku

Kannada: Aragu

Telugu: Lakaa.

Properties:-

Rasa : Kashaya

Guna : Laghu, Snigdha.

Veerya : Sheetha .

Vipaka : Katu .

Karma : Kappa Pitta shamana .

Laksha (lac) is a reddish brown color resin secreted by the female lac insect ( Laccifer lacca). It is used in Ayurveda for bone fracture healing and to strengthen bones .

Purified Laksha Health Benefits: -

वर्ण्य : , बल्या , अनुष्णा , कफपित्तघ्न: ,

अस्रहरा , हिक्काकासज्वरप्रणुत् , व्रणघ्न: 

उरःक्षतहरा , रक्तापित्तहरा , वीसर्पहरा , 

कृमिघ्न: कुष्ठहरा , व्यङ्गनाशनः।

Actions :-

Anti-inflammatory, Anti-arthritic, Anti-dysenteric, Haemostatic, 

Rejevenative, stomachic, Anti obesity, contaceptive, Hepatoprotective.

Medicinal Uses :-

It is used for liver diseases, Diarrhoea, Dysentery, Intestinal parasites (worms), Injuries, Fungal infections, Eczema, Scabies, Herpes, haemostasis, Internal bleeding disorders, Hiccup, Cough.

It is also used for Low bone mineral density, jaundice, dropsy, kidney disease, reduces fat the Adipose persons, joint disorders, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, osteoarthritis etc.

 It is also helpful in obesity, renal and spleen disorders, jaundice, backache problems, leprosy, ulceration, epilepsy and chicken pox.

Formulations :-

Laksha guggulu 

Balaswagandhadi thailam

Kumkumadi thailam

Lakshadi kera thailam

Lakshadi kuzhambu etc.

Method of processing and purification:-

It is melted in lamp flame and the molten lac is collected in a hot water vessel, kept below. In the vessel, waste products will float and pure lac sinks to the bottom of the vessel. It is collected, dried and used in the name of Laksha .