Vamsa Lochana, Tabashir Powder – Bamboo manna – Bambusa arundinacia

VAMSA LOCHANA, Vamsa lochan Powder, Tabashir powder

Common names : Tabashir, Tabasheer, Bamboo manna, the inner pith of bamboo (E), Vamsa lochana (H)
Sanskrit : Vamsa rochana, Tavakshiri
Latin Name :  Bambusa arundinaceae (Graminaceae)
Other Names – Bamboo manna, Neel or Neelkanth, Vamsa sarkar or Vams shakkar, Vams Karpoor, Tian Zhu Huang

Although all parts of the bamboo are used, in Ayurveda true Vamsa lochana is found inside the hollow bamboo at the internodes as a silica-like secretion. Vamsa rochana literally means ‘bamboo eye’ referring to the exudates of the silica appearing through an eye-like crack in the bamboo. It is rare due to its difficulty to harvest. It is especially good at clearing lung infections.
Ayurvedic Classification :
Rasa (taste) Sweet, astringent
Virya (action) Cooling
Vipaka (post-digestive effect) : Sweet
Guna (quality) Dry, light
Dosha effect VPK-, K+ in excess
Dhatu (tissue) Plasma, blood, nerve
Srota (channel) Respiratory, nervous

In Sanskrit, Tabashir or Tabasheer is known as Tvakshir (Means Milk of the Bamboo. Others call is as Bamboo Sugar (Vans – shakkar), Bamboo Camphor (Vans karpoor), & Bamboo mana.

It is called Tian Zhu Huang in Mandarin, which means “heavenly bamboo yellow.”

CONSTITUENTS
Silica