Medicinal herbs in Chhattisgarh, India having less known traditional uses XIV. Karaunda (Carissa carandas, family: Apocynaceae)
Medicinal herbs in Chhattisgarh, India having less known traditional uses
XIV. Karaunda (Carissa carandas, family: Apocynaceae)
http://www.pankajoudhia.com/RA1.pdf
Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia © 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved
Karaunda is an evergreen diffuse, spiny shrub occurring throughout India. The natives of Chhattisgarh use the fruits for pickles, jams and chutneys. In Chhattisgarh, it is under cultivation as hedge plant particularly in forest region where wild animals enter in crop fields in search of food. This spiny shrub protects the fields efficiently. I have seen its practical use in Ambikapur region. The farmers successfully save their orchards full of sweet and delicious fruits from wild bear (Bhalu) with the help of Karaunda shrub planted as fence. In urban areas, you can see the fresh fruit available for sell during growing season. The neighbouring states also fulfill the demand of Karaunda fruits in local markets. The traders dealing with Karaunda inform that Karaunda fruits from Maharashtra State are good in quality and shape. During my Ethnobotanical surveys in different parts of Chhattisgarh, I noted that the natives are not much aware of its traditional medicinal uses. I have identified many traditional healers specialized in use of Karaunda as medicine. But they are very less in number. In general, Karaunda is not considered as medicinal herb in Chhattisgarh and also it is not in list of wood forest produces. The limited but promising traditional medicinal uses of Karaunda in Chhattisgarh, motivated me to write a separate article on this herb. For me, it is unknown herb in terms of medicinal properties and uses. Botanically Karaunda is large dichotomously branched evergreen shrub with short stem and strong thorns in pairs, Bark light grey in colour, scaly. Leaves simple opposite, elliptic or obovate, shortly mucronate, glabrous, shining and coriaceous. Flowers white, in pubescent terminal corymbose cymes. Fruits ellipsoid or globose berry, purplish black when ripe enclosing two or more seeds. According to Ayurveda, Karaunda roots are stomachic, anthelmintic, antiscorbutic and useful in treatment of stomach disorders, scabies, pruritus, intestinal worms etc. The unripe fruit is sour, astringent, bitter, thermogenic, constipating, aphrodisiac, appetizer and antipyretic. It is useful in treatment of diarrhoea, anorexia and intermittent fevers. The ripe fruit is sweet, cooling, appetizer and anti-scorbutic. It is useful in treatment of anorexia, burning sensation, biliousness, skin diseases, scabies, pruritus etc. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh use Karaunda roots in treatment of common diseases. During my Ethnobotanical surveys in Bagbahera region, I got information on unique use of Karaunda roots. When the patients having -bite reach to the healers, they give the root juice of Karaunda to drink. If patients vomit, it means the snake was poisonous and vice-versa. This is the only test on which the healers rely with full confidence. As treatment, the root mixed with water is given. This use is popular among the traditional healers of Narharpur region. The traditional healers of Nagri-Sihawa region specialized in treatment of fevers informed that the aqueous paste of Karaunda root, if applied on patients body having high temperature, is able to reduce the temperature, in very less time. The healers also use the aqueous root extract to wash the wounds. The traditional healers ndagaon region prepare a special herbal oil from Karaunda roots. The fresh roots are boiled in base oil and when all watery contents evaporate, the oil is collected and stored for future use. As base oil Til (Sesame oil) is used. This oil is applied externally in case of skin troubles common in rainy season. The healers of this region informed me that on the basis of taste of roots, Karaunda can be divided into two types, i.e. Mitha (sweet) and Kadua (bitter). The healers consider the Kadua type more useful in terms of medicinal properties. In reference literatures, I have not found any such information. This is really interesting information. I am in regular touch with the experts and researchers of different states where Karaunda occurs either in natural or cultivated forms. My planning is to compile the Ethnobotanical uses of Karaunda from these states and to publish a complete book. I am confident that this type of publications will help the Karaunda to establish as potential medicinal herb. Thank 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
Karaunda is an evergreen diffuse, spiny shrub occurring throughout India. The natives of Chhattisgarh use the fruits for pickles, jams and chutneys. In Chhattisgarh, it is under cultivation as hedge plant particularly in forest region where wild animals enter in crop fields in search of food. This spiny shrub protects the fields efficiently. I have seen its practical use in Ambikapur region. The farmers successfully save their orchards full of sweet and delicious fruits from wild bear (Bhalu) with the help of Karaunda shrub planted as fence. In urban areas, you can see the fresh fruit available for sell during growing season. The neighbouring states also fulfill the demand of Karaunda fruits in local markets. The traders dealing with Karaunda inform that Karaunda fruits from Maharashtra State are good in quality and shape. During my Ethnobotanical surveys in different parts of Chhattisgarh, I noted that the natives are not much aware of its traditional medicinal uses. I have identified many traditional healers specialized in use of Karaunda as medicine. But they are very less in number. In general, Karaunda is not considered as medicinal herb in Chhattisgarh and also it is not in list of wood forest produces. The limited but promising traditional medicinal uses of Karaunda in Chhattisgarh, motivated me to write a separate article on this herb. For me, it is unknown herb in terms of medicinal properties and uses. Botanically Karaunda is large dichotomously branched evergreen shrub with short stem and strong thorns in pairs, Bark light grey in colour, scaly. Leaves simple opposite, elliptic or obovate, shortly mucronate, glabrous, shining and coriaceous. Flowers white, in pubescent terminal corymbose cymes. Fruits ellipsoid or globose berry, purplish black when ripe enclosing two or more seeds. According to Ayurveda, Karaunda roots are stomachic, anthelmintic, antiscorbutic and useful in treatment of stomach disorders, scabies, pruritus, intestinal worms etc. The unripe fruit is sour, astringent, bitter, thermogenic, constipating, aphrodisiac, appetizer and antipyretic. It is useful in treatment of diarrhoea, anorexia and intermittent fevers. The ripe fruit is sweet, cooling, appetizer and anti-scorbutic. It is useful in treatment of anorexia, burning sensation, biliousness, skin diseases, scabies, pruritus etc. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh use Karaunda roots in treatment of common diseases. During my Ethnobotanical surveys in Bagbahera region, I got information on unique use of Karaunda roots. When the patients having -bite reach to the healers, they give the root juice of Karaunda to drink. If patients vomit, it means the snake was poisonous and vice-versa. This is the only test on which the healers rely with full confidence. As treatment, the root mixed with water is given. This use is popular among the traditional healers of Narharpur region. The traditional healers of Nagri-Sihawa region specialized in treatment of fevers informed that the aqueous paste of Karaunda root, if applied on patients body having high temperature, is able to reduce the temperature, in very less time. The healers also use the aqueous root extract to wash the wounds. The traditional healers ndagaon region prepare a special herbal oil from Karaunda roots. The fresh roots are boiled in base oil and when all watery contents evaporate, the oil is collected and stored for future use. As base oil Til (Sesame oil) is used. This oil is applied externally in case of skin troubles common in rainy season. The healers of this region informed me that on the basis of taste of roots, Karaunda can be divided into two types, i.e. Mitha (sweet) and Kadua (bitter). The healers consider the Kadua type more useful in terms of medicinal properties. In reference literatures, I have not found any such information. This is really interesting information. I am in regular touch with the experts and researchers of different states where Karaunda occurs either in natural or cultivated forms. My planning is to compile the Ethnobotanical uses of Karaunda from these states and to publish a complete book. I am confident that this type of publications will help the Karaunda to establish as potential medicinal herb. Thank you very much for reading the article.
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