Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Crataeva religiosa Forst. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)].

Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Crataeva religiosa Forst. [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

89. Crataeva religiosa, Forsk. h.f.b.l, i. 172.

Syn. :— Capparis trifoliata, Roxb. 426.

Sans. : — Var una ; asmarighna.

Vern. : — Barua, barun, bilasi, bila, biliana(Hind.) ; Barun,

tikto-shak (Beng.) ; Tailadu, bun boronda (Mechi ) ; Purbong,

(Lepcha) ; Barua, barnahi, (Pb.) ; Raj Bela, bel (C.P.) ; Vaya-

varna, Chatavarna, hadavarna, kunla, warnna, karvan (Bomb.) ;

kumla, karwan (Mar.) ; maralingam, marvilinga, narvala, (Tam.) ;

(Nirvala vituse) iKau,, Mai. J ; uskia, usiki, asiki maun, ulimidi,

Lirimidi, urimitfi, tella ulimidi, tella vule (Tel.).

Habitat: — Near streams in Malabar and Canara; culti-

vated elsewhere in India.

A moderate-sized, spreading, unarmed, deciduous, tree.

Bark grey, | in. thick, with long horizontal wrinkles. Wood

yellowish-white, when old turning light brown, moderately

N. 0, CAPPARIDEiE. 103

hard, even-grained. Pores moderate-sized, numerous and uni-

formly distributed, often sub-divided, each pore surrounded

by a whitish ring. Medullary rays very wavy, fine and moder-

ately broad, the distance between the rays slightly greater than

the transverse diameter of the pores (Gamble). Branches with

large white lenticels. Leaves clustered at the ends of branch-

lets, common petiole 2-4 in, long; leaflets 3-6 by H-2% in.,

abruptly or gradually acuminate, pale beneath, ovate-lanceolate

or ovate, the lateral form an oblique basis ; petiolules articulate.

Flowers 2 in. diam. ; "cream coloured" (Brandis) ; "large

greenish yellow at length purplish " (Hooker, f. and Thorns.) ;

appearing with the leaves, in terminal corymbs. Petals ovate or

oblong, obtuse or acute ; claw J as long as the limb. Berry

ovid or globose, 2-3 in. diam ; rind hard, rough, with numer-

ous white specks ; very variable. Seeds i in, long ; numerous,

reinform, in a yellow pulp.

Parts used : — The bark, leaves, and root-bark. [Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: All parts are used as medicine.]

Uses: — The bark is demulcent, antipyretic, sedative, alter-

ative, and tonic ; and the fresh leaves and root-bark are

rubefacient.

[Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: Crataeva bark is added in over 35000 Kalmegh based Herbal Formulations as tertiary and quinary ingredients. These Formulations are used for treatment of different types of fever. The Traditional Healers practice Traditional Allelopathic Knowledge in order to enrich Crataeva bark with desired medicinal rpoperties before adding it in the formulations.]

The bark is useful in some cases of urinary complaints

and fever, and in some mild forms of skin diseases in which

sarsaparilla is generally resorted to. It also relieves vomiting

and other symptoms of gastric irritation. The fresh leaves

and root-bark, particularly the former, are very efficacious in

all the affections in which mustard poultice is indicated.

[Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: Crataeva bark is added in over 56000 famous potherb Muscaini Bhaji based Herbal Formulations as secondary and septernary ingredients. These Formulations are used for urinary complaints.]

" Bruised well with a little vinegar, lime-juice or hot

water and applied to the skin in the form of a poultice or paste,

the fresh leaves of G. religiosa act as a rubefacient and vesicant

so efficiently that I do not hesitate in saying that they are not

only much superior to the mustard seeds in this country, but

also quite equal, if not superior, to the flour of that drug-

imported from Europe. From 5 to 10 or 15 minutes is the

time required for them to produce their full effect as a

rubefacient, and if kept longer than this in contact with the

skin, they begin to act as a vesicant. The existence of one or

two plants of C. religiosa in each Hospital and Dispensary will

104 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.

certainly save them from the cost of the supply of Europe

mustard for external use. The plant grows well with ordinary

care."

[Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: Crataeva is added as nonary ingredient in over 15000 Bilari Kand Formulations used as Tonic.]

" The fresli root-bark of this plant is also a very good

rubefacient and vesicant, but it is rather too dear and not

procurable in large quantities. The bark of the stem is very

thick (from 1 to 2 inches when fresh, and from | to 1 inch

when dry), greenish brown on the outer side, and grey or

pale-white internally and on the inner side, and almost tasteless

and odourless. It is one of those barks which can be easily

reduced to a coarse powder, immediately after its removal from

the stem." ^Moodeen Sheriff).

The bark of the stem and root of this plant constitute

the principal medicine of the Hindoo Pharmacopoeia for ealcu-

lus affections. It is said to promote the appetite, decrease the

secretion of the bile, act as laxative and remove disorders of

the urinary organs. (U. C. Dutt).

In Bombay, the leaves are used as a remedy for swelling

of the feet, and a burning sensation in the soles of the feet * *

The leaf-juice is given in rheumatism in the Concan, in doses of

\ to 3 tolas, mixed with cocoanut juice and Ghi. In caries of

the bones of the nose, the leaf is smoked and the smoke

exhaled through the nose. The bark and the leaf pounded

and tied in a cloth are used as a fomentation in rheumatism

(Dymock).

[Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: Crataeva is added in Hadjod based over 85000 Herbal Formulations mainly as octonary ingredient. These Formulations are used for rheumatism and associated troubles. For details please see Tables Crataeva-1 to Crataeva-350.]

E-documents on Crataeva

http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=earticleList&Author=oudhia&Text=Crataeva

Citation

Oudhia, Pankaj (2014). Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Crataeva religiosa Forst. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)]. www.pankajoudhia.com