Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Calophyllum inophyllum L. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)].
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Calophyllum inophyllum 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
132. Calophyllum inophylhim. Lin., h.f.b.i.,
i. 273, Roxb. 437. Alexandrian Laurel.
Sans : — Punnaga.
Vern.: — Sultana champa, Surpan, surpunka undi (H.);
Sultan champa, punnag (B.) ; Polong punang, (Uriya; ;
Surangi,
purreya, duggerfiil, undi (Sind.) ; undi (Bomb.) ; Udi
(ditch.);
Surfan, undi, surpanka (Dec.) ; Undi, undelar wundi, surangi,
nagchampa, pumag, undag (Mar.) ; Bintango, punna, Ponna
(Mai.); Pinnay, pungam, punnaivirar, punnagam (Tain.) ; Puna,
punas, ponna pumagamu, ponna-chettu, ponna- vittulu (Tel.) ;
Wiima pinne, ponna bijavKan.'*
Habitat : — Western Peninsula, Orissa and South India.
An evergreen, middle-sized, ornamental tree or shrub,
glabrous. Buds only with minute rusty hairs. " Bark grey
or
blackish brown, smooth. Wood reddish brown, moderately
hard, close-grained. Pores moderate sized, arranged in groups
or oblique strings. Aledullary rays extremely fine and
numerous,
bent round the pores. Occasional interrupted concentric lines
of darker, but softer tissue, prominent on all sections"
(Gamble).
Leaves elliptic, elliptic-lanceolate, or obovate, coriaceous
; blade
4-8in., by 3-4in., narrowed into petiole, J-lJin. long,
shining on
both surfaces ; veins many tine. Flowers scented, pure white,
fto lin. diam., in axillary racemes ; Racemes in upper axils
loose,
4-6in. long, shorter than the leaves, lax, few-flowered.
Pedicels
slender, 1-2 in. Petals 4, like the inner sepals. Stamens
numerous ; filaments in 4 bundles. Rumphius and Blume
say that the petals are sometimes 6-8. Ovary globose,
stipitate ;
style much exceeding the Stamens. Stigma peltate, lobed.
Fruit yellow, round, 1 in. diam., smooth, pulpy. The seeds
yield oil used for lamps ; often cultivated.
Parts used : — The oil of the seeds, and seeds. [Pankaj
Oudhia’s Comment: All parts are used as medicine. The insects attacking old
trees are also used as medicine in Traditional Entomophagy and Entomotherapy.
Please see Tables Calophyllum-1 to Calophyllum-14 for details.]
Uses:— The kernels of this tree yield a grateful-smelling
fixed oil, held by the natives in high esteem as an external
application in rheumatism. From the bark exudes a resinous
substance, Tacamahaca, said to resemble myrrh, and to be a
useful remedy for indolent ulcers. (Pharm. Indiea.)
152 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.
The gum which flows from the wounded branches, mixed
with strips of the bark and leaves, is steeped in water, and
the
oil which rises to the surface is used as an application to sore-
eyes. [Pankaj Oudhia’s Comment: This use is
still popular among the Healers. They use more herbs with it in order to make
the formulation strong. Please see Tables Calophyllum-15 to 30 for details.]
Horsfield says that in Java the tree is
supposed to
possess diuretic properties (Drury). [Pankaj
Oudhia’s Comment: I have collected information about over 11000 Formulations
used as diuretic in which Calophyllum is added as important ingredient.
Please see Tables Calophyllum-16 to Calophyllum-80 for details.]
Rheede says that the tears which distil from the tree and
its fruit are emetic and purgative.
The oil exercises a great beneficial influence over the
mucous membrane of the genito-urinary organs, and is therefore
highly useful in the treatment of gonorrhoea and gleet. Ex-
ternally, it is a good and useful embrocation in rheumatism
and gout. The watery paste of the kernel of the seeds,
applied
to the painful joints and dried by the heat of fire, often
affords
a great relief in the same diseases, and may be resorted to
in
the absence of the oil. [Pankaj Oudhia’s
Comment: Agree.]
Although there is nothing in the sensible properties of
this oil to indicate a poisonous character, yet, as far my
know-
ledge extends, it has never been administered internally in
this or any other country. [Pankaj Oudhia’s
Comment: Good observation and experimentation. The expert Healers always use
it under their strict supervision. In case of excess, overdose or toxicity they
have many Formulations to manage it.]Having
satisfied myself by personal
use that it is neither detrimental to life nor deleterious to
health
up to a certain quantity, 1 employed it in my practice and
found
it to be a very valuable drug. It acts as a specific on the
mucous membrane of the genito-urinary organs, and its
control,
therefore, over gonorrhoea and gleet is very considerable. It
is
so certain and speedy in its action that its good effect in
the
above diseases is often noticed a few hours after the
exhibition
of its first dose (Moodeen Sheriff.) [Pankaj
Oudhia’s Comment: Very promising use but these days approach to manage
gonorhhea has much changed.]
The leaves soaked in water are employed as an application
to inflamed eyes, in the Archipelago (Dr. Rice, New York).
The fixed oil, expressed from the kernels of the seeds, is
said
to cure scabies (B. Gupta, Pooree.)
According to the Hindoo writers, the bark is astringent
and useful in internal haemorrhages (U. C. Durr.)
The juice of the bark is used as a purgative, and is said
to be very powerful in its action. (Surgeon Peacock, Nasik.)
[Pankaj
Oudhia’s Comment: Calophyllum bark is added in over 80000 Herbal Formulations
in form of primary, secondary, tertiary etc. ingredients. Most of these
Formulations are not in use but I have found it very promising and can be
converted in improved formulations after slight modifications. Please see Tables
Calophyllum-81 to Calophyllum-250 for details.]
In rheumatism, the natives use the oil as an external appli-
cation (E. A. Morris, Madras). Watt's Dictionary.
N. 0. GUTTIFERi®. 153
Oil from the seeds of Calophyllxim inophyllnm. The seeds
contain
22*8— 31*5 H 2 and 50*5—55 oil per* cent. The oil has a
yellowish-green
colour, an odour resembling fenugreek, a bitter taste, and,
on keeping,
fatty glycerides are deposited. It solidifies at 8°, melts
again at 8°, and
has a sp. gr. 09428 at 15°, Reichert-Meissl number 0'13,
saponification
number I960, acid number 28*45, iodine number 92*8,
refracto-meter
number 76 at 40°; it contains 0*25 per cent, of unsaponinble
matter.
The increase in weight due to oxygen absorption, when
measured by Livache's
method, amounted to 0*25, 0*71, 1*32, and 1*84 percent.,
after 18, 40, 64, and
136 hours. Treatment with 5 per cent, soda solution removes
the resinous
constituents. The purified oil solidities at 4°, melts again
at 8°, and has
Reichert-Meissi number 0'18, saponification number 191,
iodine number 86.
The fatty acids of the oil are chiefly palmitic, stearic, and
oleic. J. Ch. S. Vol.
88 pt. 2, page 277.
The seeds are brownish black, almost spherical, |— 1 inch in
diameter and
consist of an easily-broken shell surrounding a round, soft, whitish
kernel
which weighs about 4 grins. The kernels contain L3 per cent,
of moisture and
55 per cent, of viscous, green, bitter oil.
Some samples of kernels from Bengal contained 3' 3 per cent,
of moisture
and 71-4 per cent, of oil having the Sp. gr. at 15° C.
O" 950 ; acid value 45'9 ;
Saponification value, 193-203 ; iodine value, 97*7.
The oil is excellent for soap making. The residual cake is
bitter and
therefore suitable for use as a manure.
[Pankaj
Oudhia’s Comment: Calophyllum roots are very important medicine in
Traditional Healing. I have collected information about over 30000 Formulations
in which roots play key role. Please see Tables Calophyllum-251 to
Calophyllum-300 for details.]
Bulletin Imperial Institute 1913.
E-documents on Calophyllum
Citation
Oudhia, Pankaj (2013).
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Calophyllum
inophyllum L.
[Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu.
"Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian
Medicinal Plants. (1918)]. www.pankajoudhia.com
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