Karpasa
Gossypium herbaceum
Karpasa (Gossypium herbaceum) is a plant used in Ayurveda. Gossypol chelates iron and calcium, reducing both mineral and gossypol absorption. Protein-rich meals reduce gossypol absorption. Refined cottonseed oil (gossypol-free) has standard lipid bioavailability.
| Botanical name | Gossypium herbaceum |
|---|---|
| Family | Malvaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Malvales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 3152658 · Wikidata Q177615 · NCBI Taxonomy 34274 |
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Karpasa |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Madhura | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Guru, Snigdha | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Ushna | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Madhura | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Beeja Churna (seed powder), Taila (cottonseed oil), Kashayam (decoction of root bark), Capsule, Pattika (cotton wick for Varti/suppository)
Standard Dosage: 3-5 g seed powder twice daily; 5-10 mL cottonseed oil; 50-100 mL root bark decoction
Bioavailability: Gossypol (polyphenolic aldehyde) has variable bioavailability (30-50%) influenced by dietary protein and mineral content. Gossypol chelates iron and calcium, reducing both mineral and gossypol absorption. Protein-rich meals reduce gossypol absorption. Refined cottonseed oil (gossypol-free) has standard lipid bioavailability. Cyclodextrin complexation can modulate gossypol release profile.
Optimal Timing: Root bark decoction: after meals; seed preparations: with meals to moderate gossypol absorption
Standardized Extract: Root bark extract standardized to minimum 3% total flavonoids; seed extract: gossypol content must be quantified and controlled (<0.05% for food-grade; specific higher levels for pharmaceutical research)
Shelf Life: 18 months for root bark powder; 24 months for refined cottonseed oil; 24 months for capsules
Storage: Cottonseed oil in cool, dark place (15-25°C) in amber glass or food-grade HDPE. Root bark powder in airtight containers protected from moisture. Gossypol-containing preparations require restricted storage.
Marker Compounds: Gossypol, Gossypin (flavonoid), Gossypetin, Herbacetin, Beta-sitosterol, Linoleic acid, Oleic acid
Extraction Methods
- Cold pressing of seeds for oil
- Solvent extraction (hexane) for commercial oil production
- Hydroalcoholic extraction of root bark
- Selective extraction for gossypol using acetic acid-diethyl ether
Synergistic Combinations
- Ashoka for menstrual disorder management
- Lodhra for uterine health
- Shatavari for galactagogue formulations
- Eranda (Castor) for anti-inflammatory combinations
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Laboratory and animal studies11
- 2023. The Gossypium herbaceum L. Wagad genome as a resource for understanding cotton domesticationG3 (Bethesda, Md.). PMID 36454094 · doi:10.1093/g3journal/jkac308
- 2021. Induction of polyploidy through colchicine in cotton (Gossypium herbaceum) and its conformity by cytology and flow cytometry analysesJournal of genetics. PMID 34344844
- 2020. Genome sequence of Gossypium herbaceum and genome updates of Gossypium arboreum and Gossypium hirsutum provide insights into cotton A-genome evolutionNature genetics. PMID 32284579 · doi:10.1038/s41588-020-0607-4
- 2020. Morphological description of a novel synthetic allotetraploid(A1A1G3G3) of Gossypium herbaceum L.and G.nelsonii Fryx. suitable for disease-resistant breeding applicationsPloS one. PMID 33270669 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0242620
- 2018. Transcriptomic profiling of developing fiber in levant cotton (Gossypium herbaceum L.)Functional & integrative genomics. PMID 29332190 · doi:10.1007/s10142-017-0586-4
- 2017. Anti-diabetic and hypolipidemic effects of extract from the seed of Gossypium herbaceum L. in Alloxan-induced diabetic rabbitsPakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences. PMID 28603116
- 2017. A New Sythetic Hybrid (A1D5) between Gossypium herbaceum and G. raimondii and Its Morphological, Cytogenetic, Molecular CharacterizationPloS one. PMID 28187145 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0169833
- 2017. Assessment of Gene Flow Between Gossypium hirsutum and G. herbaceum: Evidence of Unreduced Gametes in the Diploid ProgenitorG3 (Bethesda, Md.). PMID 28546386 · doi:10.1534/g3.117.041509
- 2015. Construction of cytogenetic map of Gossypium herbaceum chromosome 1 and its integration with genetic mapsMolecular cytogenetics. PMID 25628758 · doi:10.1186/s13039-015-0106-y
- 2012. Development and characterization of genomic and expressed SSRs for levant cotton (Gossypium herbaceum L.)TAG. Theoretical and applied genetics. Theoretische und angewandte Genetik. PMID 22038488 · doi:10.1007/s00122-011-1729-y
- 1861. Gossypium Herbaceum (Cotton)Atlanta medical and surgical journal. PMID 35826480
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