Vikankata

Sanskrit Name: Vikantaka (विकण्टक)
Other Sanskrit synonyms include Vikata, Kantaki, Shriphala (regionally)

Identification No : SDACH/HG/252

Botanical Name: Flacourtia jangomas (Lour.)

Family Name: Salicaceae

Vernacular Names

• Hindi: Vikankata, Paniala
• English: Indian Coffee Plum, Governor’s Plum
• Bengali: Paniala
• Marathi: Paniala
• Kannada: Karanji

Habitat & Distribution

• Native to India and Southeast Asia
• Common in tropical and subtropical regions of India: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu
• Found in forests, hilly areas, and often cultivated for fruits or as a hedge plant

Morphology

• Tree/Shrub: Medium-sized thorny shrub or small tree up to 6–10 m
• Leaves: Simple, ovate-lanceolate, finely serrate
• Flowers: Small, greenish-white, unisexual
• Fruits: Globose drupe, reddish-purple when ripe, edible with acidic-sweet taste
• Bark: Greyish, rough, with inner reddish tinge
• Thorns: Strong, straight or curved spines on branches
• Roots: Woody, fibrous; traditionally used

Varieties

• Botanically related species:
  • Flacourtia indica
  • Flacourtia ramontchi
  • Flacourtia cataphracta (regional usage)

Substitute / Adulterant

• Substitute: Flacourtia indica (commonly used interchangeably)
• Adulterants: Other wild Flacourtia spp. or non-edible berries may be mixed in fruit powders

Phytochemicals

• Flacourside
• Tannins
• Flavonoids (quercetin, rutin)
• Saponins
• Sterols
• Polyphenols
• Gallic acid
• Essential oils (in leaves and bark)
• Vitamin C (in fruits)

Raspanchaka

• Rasa: Kashaya, Tikta, Amla
• Guna: Laghu, Ruksha
• Virya: Sheeta
• Vipaka: Katu
• Prabhava: Vrana ropana, Krimighna
• Dosha Shamakta: Tridoshaghna (especially Kapha-Pitta hara)

Karma – Rogaghnata

• Krimighna – Anthelmintic
• Shothahara – Anti-inflammatory
• Raktapittahara – Anti-hemorrhagic
• Stambhana – Astringent
• Vrana ropana – Wound healing
• Trishna nigrahana – Quenches excessive thirst
• Shukravardhaka – Enhances semen quality
• Pramehaghna – Useful in diabetes

Amayika Prayoga / Therapeutic Uses

External

• Bark decoction used for washing wounds and ulcers
• Paste of leaves used in skin allergies, boils
• Crushed bark or root as a poultice in abscesses

Internal

• Bark decoction used for diarrhea, dysentery, bleeding disorders
• Root decoction in urinary tract infections and diabetes
• Fruit juice or syrup for anemia, fatigue, and liver disorders
• Powdered bark in worm infestations

Part Used

• Bark
• Root
• Fruit
• Leaves (less commonly)

Dose

• Bark decoction: 40–60 ml
• Powder (bark/root): 3–6 g
• Fresh fruit juice: 10–20 ml
• Fruit (raw or cooked): 25–50 g

Yoga / Formulations

• Used in regional classical formulations for Prameha, Vrana, and Krimi
• Found in tribal medicine as part of anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic combinations

IUCN Status

• Not Evaluated

Research Updates

1. 2020 – Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies
   Methanolic bark extract showed potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
2. 2021 – Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
   Fruit extract demonstrated hypoglycemic effects in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
3. 2023 – Journal of Ethnopharmacology
   Ethanolic extract of leaves showed promising