Medicinal herbs of Chhattisgarh, India having less known traditional uses XXVI. Petha (Benincasa hispida, family Cucurbitaceae)
Medicinal herbs of Chhattisgarh, India having less known traditional uses
XXVI. Petha (Benincasa hispida, family Cucurbitaceae)
http://www.pankajoudhia.com/RA1.pdf
Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia © 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved
The fruits of Petha, in English Ash gourd or White gourd, are candied with sugar and used to prepare a popular sweet called Petha. The sweet ation is popular in al over India, In Chhattisgarh, the confectioners engaged in preparation of this item are present in every city and also in big villages. In Raipur, these confectioners are limited to the heart of city known as Petha line or lane. They sell it in the name of Agre Ka Petha (Agra is a city in northern India, famous for Taj Mahal) but in fact they prepare it in Chhattisgarh. For the natives, Petha is just a sweet dish, but for the traditional healers it is a valuable medicinal preparation. You will be surprised to know that this sweet dish is a boon for the patients having the problem of hypertension. Its regular intake as medicine promotes good sleep and also improves memory. It is good substitute for sweet chocolates for children. This herbal preparation is also useful for the patients having the problem of Bavasir (Piles). The confectioners of Chhattisgarh are aware of its medicinal properties and uses. Like sweet dish they prepare different other items using fruits but Petha is most popular. I have found Petha as good hair growth promoter. The herb of Petha is present in natural forests of Chhattisgarh. It is also under cultivation. Most of the confectioners grow this herb in order to fulfill their regular demand. Petha is not in the list of non-wood forest produces of Chhattisgarh, having regular demand. Its natural occurrence in other parts of the country is one of major reasons responsible. In Indian states Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Bihar, it is under cultivation in large areas. During my Ethnobotanical surveys in different parts of the state, I have collected many information on its traditional medicinal uses. At first , I am describing its botany and reported medicinal uses, I have noted from reference literatures. Petha (Benincasa hispida syn. B. cerifera syn. Cucurbita hispida) is annual branched climber. Leaves 10-25 cm in diameter, reniform to rounded in shape, deeply cordate, 5-7 lobed, scabrous above, shortly hispid beneath, margin sinuate, dentate; petioles hirsute, 5-20 cm long; tendrils slender. Male peduncles 5-15 cm long; female peduncles 2-4 cm long, calyx tube densely villose. Fruits fleshy, hairy when young waxy blood when mature; seeds compressed, ovoid, yellowish-white, distinctly marginate, 10-11x 5-7 mm. Flowering and fruiting June to October. In reference literatures related to different systems of medicine in India, many valuable medicinal properties and uses have been mentioned. As medicine fruits, seeds and oil from seeds are used commonly. According to Ayurveda, fruit is laxative, diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac, cures strangury, urinary discharges and calculi, thirst, biliousness, blood diseases, removes foul taste from mouth. It is good heart tonic. According to Unani system of medicine, Petha fruits is antiperiodic, cardiac and general tonic and also good aphrodisiac. It enriches blood. Seed is cooling and useful in dry cough, fever, urethral discharges, biliousness and thirst. Seed oil is soporific and good for brain and liver. It is also useful in treatment of syphilis. Common Indian names of Petha. Regions/Languages/Countries Names English Ash Pumpkin, Tallow-White Gourd Gujarati Bhurukoholu, Dorokaru, Koholu Hindi Golkaddu, Kondha, Kudimar Kanarese Budekumbalkai Marathi Kohala Sanskrit Karkutika, Kushmanda, Timisha, Shikhivardhaka I have written on tree shade therapy, herbal glasses, herbal huts, herbal mala etc. in my previous articles now I am writing about the herbal cap. The traditional healer of Mudpar village aware of medicinal uses of Petha prepares a special cap by removing the pulp from Petha fruit and give it to the patients having the trouble of insanity and epilepsy. The suggests the family members of the patients to use this cap during the attack. The healer informed me that this herbal cap reduces the intensity of attack and induces the sleep. The traditional healers of other parts of Chhattisgarh are not aware of this unique use. They use the Aloe gel for the same purpose. The traditional healer of Mudpar, collects the fruit pulp of Petha and with the help of cow ghee prepares special Halwa (a sweet dish). This dish is given to the patients having the problem of insanity. The use of Petha cap is not mentioned in reference literatures. I am proud to write that the healer of Chhattisgarh is aware of this unique use and using it in regular practice. In general, the healers recommend thi herb as medicine to the patients having hot nature (Garm Tasir). According to them, it plays important role in heat balance of human body. As mentioned earlier, that the confectioners prepare common sweet meat from Petha fruit, locally known as Petha. Since my student life I am taking this sweet meat as medicine. I have found it promising memory tonic. The traditional healers of southern Chhattisgarh, prefer fresh juice of Petha herb as compared to the sweet dish. The juice is given empty stomach to the patients suffering from hypertension and insomnia. During hot summer, the natives prepare special herbal drink from Petha seeds to protect themselves from hot winds "Loo" during field works. The healers of Kanker region, use the fruit rind with sugar in treatment of chronic respiratory diseases. It stops the bleeding from any part of respiratory tract. The natives use the fruits as vegetable but they are not aware of its medicinal uses. The sweet meat prepared from Petha fruit is good food for the children. There is a need to promote it among the natives, particularly the natives from young generation fond of harmful chocolates like sweets. As the natives eat it for taste, it is necessary to aware them about the medicinal properties and uses of this sweet meat. With the help of innovative herb growers, we are trying to establish this herb as potential medicinal crop in Chhattisgarh. ank you very much for reading the article.
http://www.pankajoudhia.com/RA1.pdf
Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia © 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved
The fruits of Petha, in English Ash gourd or White gourd, are candied with sugar and used to prepare a popular sweet called Petha. The sweet ation is popular in al over India, In Chhattisgarh, the confectioners engaged in preparation of this item are present in every city and also in big villages. In Raipur, these confectioners are limited to the heart of city known as Petha line or lane. They sell it in the name of Agre Ka Petha (Agra is a city in northern India, famous for Taj Mahal) but in fact they prepare it in Chhattisgarh. For the natives, Petha is just a sweet dish, but for the traditional healers it is a valuable medicinal preparation. You will be surprised to know that this sweet dish is a boon for the patients having the problem of hypertension. Its regular intake as medicine promotes good sleep and also improves memory. It is good substitute for sweet chocolates for children. This herbal preparation is also useful for the patients having the problem of Bavasir (Piles). The confectioners of Chhattisgarh are aware of its medicinal properties and uses. Like sweet dish they prepare different other items using fruits but Petha is most popular. I have found Petha as good hair growth promoter. The herb of Petha is present in natural forests of Chhattisgarh. It is also under cultivation. Most of the confectioners grow this herb in order to fulfill their regular demand. Petha is not in the list of non-wood forest produces of Chhattisgarh, having regular demand. Its natural occurrence in other parts of the country is one of major reasons responsible. In Indian states Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Bihar, it is under cultivation in large areas. During my Ethnobotanical surveys in different parts of the state, I have collected many information on its traditional medicinal uses. At first , I am describing its botany and reported medicinal uses, I have noted from reference literatures. Petha (Benincasa hispida syn. B. cerifera syn. Cucurbita hispida) is annual branched climber. Leaves 10-25 cm in diameter, reniform to rounded in shape, deeply cordate, 5-7 lobed, scabrous above, shortly hispid beneath, margin sinuate, dentate; petioles hirsute, 5-20 cm long; tendrils slender. Male peduncles 5-15 cm long; female peduncles 2-4 cm long, calyx tube densely villose. Fruits fleshy, hairy when young waxy blood when mature; seeds compressed, ovoid, yellowish-white, distinctly marginate, 10-11x 5-7 mm. Flowering and fruiting June to October. In reference literatures related to different systems of medicine in India, many valuable medicinal properties and uses have been mentioned. As medicine fruits, seeds and oil from seeds are used commonly. According to Ayurveda, fruit is laxative, diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac, cures strangury, urinary discharges and calculi, thirst, biliousness, blood diseases, removes foul taste from mouth. It is good heart tonic. According to Unani system of medicine, Petha fruits is antiperiodic, cardiac and general tonic and also good aphrodisiac. It enriches blood. Seed is cooling and useful in dry cough, fever, urethral discharges, biliousness and thirst. Seed oil is soporific and good for brain and liver. It is also useful in treatment of syphilis. Common Indian names of Petha. Regions/Languages/Countries Names English Ash Pumpkin, Tallow-White Gourd Gujarati Bhurukoholu, Dorokaru, Koholu Hindi Golkaddu, Kondha, Kudimar Kanarese Budekumbalkai Marathi Kohala Sanskrit Karkutika, Kushmanda, Timisha, Shikhivardhaka I have written on tree shade therapy, herbal glasses, herbal huts, herbal mala etc. in my previous articles now I am writing about the herbal cap. The traditional healer of Mudpar village aware of medicinal uses of Petha prepares a special cap by removing the pulp from Petha fruit and give it to the patients having the trouble of insanity and epilepsy. The suggests the family members of the patients to use this cap during the attack. The healer informed me that this herbal cap reduces the intensity of attack and induces the sleep. The traditional healers of other parts of Chhattisgarh are not aware of this unique use. They use the Aloe gel for the same purpose. The traditional healer of Mudpar, collects the fruit pulp of Petha and with the help of cow ghee prepares special Halwa (a sweet dish). This dish is given to the patients having the problem of insanity. The use of Petha cap is not mentioned in reference literatures. I am proud to write that the healer of Chhattisgarh is aware of this unique use and using it in regular practice. In general, the healers recommend thi herb as medicine to the patients having hot nature (Garm Tasir). According to them, it plays important role in heat balance of human body. As mentioned earlier, that the confectioners prepare common sweet meat from Petha fruit, locally known as Petha. Since my student life I am taking this sweet meat as medicine. I have found it promising memory tonic. The traditional healers of southern Chhattisgarh, prefer fresh juice of Petha herb as compared to the sweet dish. The juice is given empty stomach to the patients suffering from hypertension and insomnia. During hot summer, the natives prepare special herbal drink from Petha seeds to protect themselves from hot winds "Loo" during field works. The healers of Kanker region, use the fruit rind with sugar in treatment of chronic respiratory diseases. It stops the bleeding from any part of respiratory tract. The natives use the fruits as vegetable but they are not aware of its medicinal uses. The sweet meat prepared from Petha fruit is good food for the children. There is a need to promote it among the natives, particularly the natives from young generation fond of harmful chocolates like sweets. As the natives eat it for taste, it is necessary to aware them about the medicinal properties and uses of this sweet meat. With the help of innovative herb growers, we are trying to establish this herb as potential medicinal crop in Chhattisgarh. ank you very much for reading the article.
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