Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Tamarindus indica L. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)].
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Tamarindus
indica L. [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
430. Tamarindus indica, Linn., h.f.b.i., ii. 273,
Roxb. 530.
Sans. : — Tintidi ; Amlika.
Vevn. : — Amli ; imli (H.) ; Tentul (B. ); Amli; Chintz
(Bomb.);
Poolie (Tarn.); Balam Poolie (Mai.); Chinta-chettu (Tel.);
Karangi (Mysore j.
Habitat : — Cultivated throughout India, as far north as the
Jhelam.
A large, evegreen, unarmed tree. Bark Jin. thick, dark
grey, with longitudinal fissures and horizontal cracks. Wood
hard, close-grained ; sap wood yellowish white, sometimes
with
N. 0. leguminos^:. 483
red streaks ; heart-wood with an irregular outline, and
radiating
ramifications, very durable. Leaves abruptly pinnate, with
20-40, glabrescent, close, obtuse, opposite, oblong leaflets.
Ra-
cemes copious, lax at the end of branchlets, with 10-15
flowers
together. Pedicels articulated at the base of the Calyx.
Bracts
boatshaped, enclosing buds, caducous. Calyx-tube turbinate,
segments 4. Petals 3, under Jin. long, unequal, variegated
with
red and yellow, the 2 lower reduced to scales, perfect
stamens
3, filaments united to the middle of the anthers, oblong,
versatile.
Ovary stipitate, the stalk adnate to Calyx-tube. Pod thick,
filled
when mature with dark brown acid pulp transversed by fibres.
3-8in. long, lin. or more broad, 3-10-seeded. Seeds brown,
shining, without albumen, the outer coat producing abund-
ant mucilage, when steeped in water for a time.
Most authors make two species of Tamarindus, the Indian
kind, with long pods, and the West Indian, with short pods;
bat even those who adopt this view of the subject generally
raise a question of their specific identity. India is
probably
the aboriginal country of both, whence the species was intro-
duced into West Indies. Even in the East the Tamarinds of the
Archipelago are considered the best of those of India. The
Arabs
called the tree Tamr-i-hindee, or Indian Date, from which has
been derived the generic name, Tamarindus. The inhabitants
of the East have a notion that it is dangerous to sleep under
the tree, and it has been remarked, as of our Beech in Europe,
that the ground beneath is always bare, and that no plant
seems to thrive under its branches.* [Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: The
Traditional Healers having expertise in Tree Shade Therapy rarely suggest the
patients to stay under shade of Tamarind tree but it is also true that in
treatment of rare diseases Tamarind tree shade is suggested by them specially
at advanced stage when other remedies fail to repond. The patients are advised
to pass long time under this tree. They spray Herbal Solution on the ground
before arrival of patients and also patients are advised to take specific
medicines while siting under this tree. I have documented this unique
Traditional Medicinal Knowledge.]
In the East, the pulpy fruits of the Tamarind are preserved
without sugar, being merely dried in the sun and cured in
salt.
In the West Indies, the pulp is usually packed in small
kegs between layers of sugar, and hot syrup is poured on
the whole. In order to enable them to keep without ferment-
ation for a length of time, the first syrup, which is very
acid,
^Apropos of this remark it may here be observed that the
Bhangi or
sweeper of the Santa Cruz Station, B. B. and C. I. Railway,
has his sleeping-
hut under a group of 5 or 6 tamarind trees, huge and shady,
where for the
last 20 years the hut has been in use (K, R, Kirtikar).
484 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.
is poured off and a second is added. A very excellent
preserve
is imported from Cnracoa, made from the unripe pods,
preserved
in sugar, with the addition of spices. (Curtis' Botanical
Magazine
for February 1st, 1851).
Use : — The ripe fruit is regarded as refrigerant, digestive,
carminative and laxative, and useful in diseases supposed to
be
caused by deranged bile, such as burning of the body,
costive-
ness, intoxication from spirituous liquors or dhatura,
&c. The
shells of the ripe fruit are burnt and their ashes used in
medi-
cine as an alkaline substance, along with other medicines of
the
sort. The pulp of the ripe fruit, as well as a poultice of
the
leaves, is recommended to be applied to inflammatory
swellings
(Butt's Hindu Materia Medica). Mahomedan physicians consider
the pulp to be cardiacal, astringent and aperient, useful for
checking bilious vomiting, and for purging the system of bile
and adust humors ; when used as an aperient, it should be
given
with a very small quantity of fluid. A gargle of Tamarind
water
is recommended in sore- throat. The seeds are said to be a
good
astringent ; boiled, they are used as a poultice to boils ;
pounded
with water they are applied to the crown of the head in cough
and relaxation of the uvula. The leaves crushed with water
and
expressed yield an acid fluid, which is said to be useful in bilious
fever and scalding of the urine ; made into a poultice, they
are
applied to reduce inflammatory swellings, and to relieve
pain.
A poultice of the flowers is used in inflammatory affections
of
the conjunctiva ; their juice is given internally for
bleeding
piles. The bark is considered to have astringent and tonic
properties (Dymook).
[Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: Through
Ethnobotanical surveys since year 1990 I have collected information about over
800,000 Traditional Herbal Formulations in which Tamarind plant parts are added
as important ingredient. Tamarind roots are added in over 100,000 Traditional
Herbal Formulations as tertiary ingredient. The root based Formulations are
popular among the Traditional Experts treating neurological disorders. Tamarind
leaves in fresh as well as dry form are added in 45.000 Traditional Herbal
Formulations as secondary ingredient. Tamarind trees are treated with different
herbal extracts up to long time before collection of parts. The senior natives
as well as Traditional Healers have in-depth Traditional Allelopathic Knowledge.
Tamarind bark is used in treatment of different types of cancer specially at
primary stage. It is popular among the cancer experts as cancer preventive.
Please see Tables Tamarind-1 to Tamarind-250 for exhaustive information about
Tamarind based Traditional Herbal Formulations.]
Analysis was made of the entire seeds, and also of the kernel
without the
brown covering. They had the following composition : —
Water
Albuminoids
Pat ...
Carbohydrates ...
Fibre,..
Ash ...
Nitrogen
Phosphoric anhydride
Seeds.
Kernels.
10-50
9-35
13-87
18 06
4-50
6-60
63-22
62-88
5*36
•66
2-55
2-45
100-00
100*00
222
2-89
•40
•55
N. 0. LEGUMIN0SJE. 485
There is a decided difference in the compositon of the
shelled and unshelled
seeds The shells contain the undesirable constituents,
namely, the tannin
matter and fibre, and the kernels represent a nutritious
food, white in appear-
ance and with no disagreeable odour and taste.
The oil obtained by ether is thick and light yellow in
colour. It solidifies
at 15° C, and gave the following constants : —
Acid value ... ... ... ... 0*84
Saponification value ... ... ... 183°
Iodine value ... ... ... 871
Fatty acids... ... ... ... 94-9
Melting point ... ... ... 46°
The fatty acids crystallised twice from alcohol afforded an
acid melting at
74*°5, resembling arachidic acid of ground-nut.
Elaidin reaction gives a buttery consistence. The oil is
semidrying,
forming a skin only after 12 days. (Agricultural Ledger,
1907, No. 2 pp. 15-16.)
E-documents on Tamarindus
Citation
Oudhia, Pankaj (2013).
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Tamarindus indica L. [Kirtikar,
Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)]. www.pankajoudhia.com
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