Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Nardostachys jatamansi (D. Don) DC. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)].
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Nardostachys
jatamansi (D. Don) DC. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba
Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)].
Pankaj Oudhia
Introduction
Based on Ethnobotanical
surveys since year 1990 in different parts of India Pankaj Oudhia has
documented vital information about Medicinal Plants mentioned in the famous
publication by Kirtikar and Basu (1918). Through this research document Pankaj
Oudhia has tried to present original document with additional notes. For
complete paper with pictures, Interactive Tables, Video and Audio clips please
visit pankajoudhia.com
For original publication by Kirtikar and Basu (1918) please visit https://archive.org/details/indianmedicinalp01kirt
619.
Nardostachys Jatamansi, Be. in. 211.
Sans. : —
Jatamansi.
Vern. : —
Balchar (H/! ; Billi-lotan (Dec.) ; Sumbul (Bom.).
Habitat : —
Alpine Himalaya, from Kumaon to Sikkim.
An erect
perennial herb. Root-stock woody, long, stout,
covered with
fibres from the petioles of withered leaves. Stem
4-24in., more or
less pubescent upwards, often glabrate below
subscapose.
Radical leaves 6-8 by lin., longitudinally nerved,
glabrous or
slightly pubescent, narrowed into the petiole ; cau-
line leaves 1-2
pairs, l-3in. long, sessile, oblong or subovate.
Flower-heads
usually 1, 3-5 ; bracts Jin., oblong, usually pube-
scent.
Corolla-tube £in. long, somewhat hairy within, as are
the filaments
below. Fruit -§-in. long, covered with ascending
white hairs,
crowned by the ovate, acute,, often dentate calyx-
teeth. C. B.
Clarke says : — " There are two forms of this plant :
a large
flowered, with usually glabrous bracts, and a smaller one,
with
Corolla-tube, scarcely -g-in. long, and the bracts densely,
shortly hairy ;
various intermediates occur" (P. 211, Vol 111 H.
F Bl).
Uses : — It is
prescribed by Hindoo physicians as a nervine
Tonic [Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: Through
Ethnobotanical surveys I have collected information about over 35000
Traditional Herbal Formulations in which Jatamansi is added as nonary
ingredient. These Formulations are used in treatment of nervous system
diseases. Please see Tables Jatamansi-1 to Jatamansi-115 for details.] and aromatic
adjunct, in the preparation of medicinal oils
and ghritas
(butter) (Dutt<.
The author of
the Makhzan considers it to be deobstruent
and stimulant,
diuretic and emmenagogue, and recommends
it in various
disorders of the digestive and respiratory organs, [Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: Through
Ethnobotanical surveys I have collected information about over 150,000
Traditional Herbal Formulations in which Jatamansi is added as important
ingredient. These Formulations are used in treatment of respiratory diseases.
Please see Tables Jatamansi-116 to Jatamansi-200 for details.]
and as a nervine
tonic in hysteria. He also notices the popular
opinion that it
promotes the growth and blackness of the hair. [Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: Through
Ethnobotanical surveys I have collected information about over 12000
Traditional Herbal Formulations in which Jatamansi is added as important
ingredient. These Formulations are used for hair related troubles. Please see
Tables Jatamansi-201 to Jatamansi-220 for details.]
In doses of 45
grains, it is often employed as an expectorant in
coughs and colds
(Dymock.)
Ainslie says
that in Southern India, the Vytians prepare a
fragrant and
cooling liniment from this drug, to be applied to
the head and
used internally as a blood purifier.
According to Sir
Win. O'Shaughnessy, it is a perfect repre-
sentative for
Valerian. [Pankaj
Oudhia’s Comment: Disagree. Far better than Valerian as far as medicinal
properties and uses are concerned.]
84
666 INDIAN
MEDICINAL PLANTS.
The roots are
aromatic and bitter in taste. They are
supposed to
possess tonic, stimulant, and antispasmodic pro-
perties, and are
often employed in the treatment of epilepsy,
hysteria, and
convulsive affections (Watt). Used in palpita-
tion of the
heart (Thompson, in Watt's Dictionary).
E-documents on
Nardostachys
Citation
Oudhia, Pankaj (2013).
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Nardostachys jatamansi (D. Don) DC. [Kirtikar,
Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)]. www.pankajoudhia.com
Comments