|
Sanskrit |
: |
Nagkeshar |
|
English |
: |
Mesua |
|
Latin name |
: |
Mesua ferrea |
|
Unani Name
|
: |
Naarmushk |
|
Habitat |
: |
Eastern Himalayas,Assam,West Bengal, Western Ghats,
Travancore,Andaman and Srilanka |
|
Kula |
: |
Nagakesar kula |
|
Gana |
: |
Eladi,Sugandhivarga,Priyangvadi,Anjanadi - Susruta
Chaturjat-
Bhavaprakash |
|
Family |
: |
Guttiferae,
Clusiaceae |
|
Ayurvedic
Pharmacodynamic properties |
|
Rasa |
: |
Kashaya (astringent), Tikta (bitter) |
|
Guna |
: |
Laghu (light), Ruksha (dry) |
|
Virya |
: |
Ushna (hot) |
|
Vipaka |
: |
Katu (pungent) |
|
Doshakarma |
: |
Kapha-pittashamak
(alleviate K and P Dosha)) |
|
Useful parts |
: |
Punkeshar (stamen) |
|
Medicinal uses |
: |
It has astringent, digestant, ant poisonous, antimicrobial,
anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and anthelmintic activity. It
is used in fever, itching, nausea, leprosy, skin disorders,
erysipelas, bleeding piles, metrorrhagea, menorrhagea,
excessive thirst, and sweating. |
|
Dose |
: |
Churna (powder) 1-3 gm. |
|
Important formulations |
: |
Brihachchhagaladya gritha, Drakshasava,
Babbularista,Ardrakakhanda avaleha, Gandhaka rasayana,
Guduchyadi taila, Brihachchhringarabhra rasa, Brahmi vati,
Shatamoolyadi lauha, Lvanabhaskara churna, Chyavanaprasha,
Supari paka, Pushyanuga churna, Ashwagandharista,
Dashamoolarista, Pradaranashaka churna. |
Uses as home remedy:
-
In beeding piles, it should be used in the dose of 3 gm along
with Mishri.
-
Its oil should be use externally to cure skin disorders.
-
Its paste or dusting of its powder is very effective to get
relief from excessive sweating.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION:
Mesuol , Mesuaxanthofle B- and euxanthofle 4-
a1kylcoumnu0l MammeiSin ,Mamiflegin & mesuol from seed oil (Phytochem.
1971,10,1131). mesuaferrofle glycoside- cyclohaxodione- mesuaferrol, sitosterol.
Octadecatriefloic and hexadecanolic acids are present in seed oil .The heartwood
of Mesua ferrea L. was found to contain 1,5-dihydroxyxanthone (II), euxanthone
7-methyl ether (IV) and β-sitosterol, in addition to the two xanthones.Mammeisin
was reported from the seeds;while stamens afforded two novel biflavanones
designated as mesuaferrone-A and mesuaferrol-B, mesuanic acid, α- and β-
amyrine,β- sitosterol.Fatty acids from the seed oil was reported.Other
constituents isolated are :mesuol, mesuaferrol, leucoanthocyanidin,mesuone,
mammeigin, mesuagin,mesuaxanthone-A and-B,euxanthone,other xanthone derivatives,
ferruol-A and -B, a new triterpene named guttiferol, ferrxanthone derivative and
essential oil from various parts.
MORPHOLOGY:
It is a tall tree reaching up to 100 feet tall, often
buttressed at the base with a trunk up to 2 meters in diameter. It is common in
wet zone at Sri Lanka up to 1500 meters. It has simple, narrow, oblong, dark
green leaves 7–15 cm long, with a whitish underside; the emerging young leaves
are red to yellowish pink and drooping. The flowers are 4–7.5 cm diameter, with
four white petals and a center of numerous yellow stamens.Leaves
lanceolate,coriaceous,generally covered with a waxy bloom underneath, red when
young.Flowers large,white,fragrant,solitary or in clusters of 2-3.Fruits
ovoid,2.5 -5.0 cm long with persistant calyx.seed 1-4,dark brown,cotyledons
fleshy,oily.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES:
The flowers are astringent,bitter,acrid, mildly heating,
anodyne, sudorific, digestive,carminative, constipating, anthelminthic,
diuretic,alexipharmic, expectorant,stomachic, haemostatic, aphrodisiac,
febrifuge and cardiotonic.They are useful in asthma,cough, hiccough, leprosy,
scabies, skin diseases, pruritus, pharyngodynia, vomitting, dysentry, haemorrids,
ulcers, burning sensation of feet,depsia,impotency,leucorrhoea,
haemoptysis,strangury,cephalalgia,fever and cardiac debility.The seed oil is
used in skin diseases. .Pericarp of fruit is astringent and stomachic.
External :Seed oil is analgesic.Saffron is deodrant,
antidiaphoretic and stimulant.Hence seed oil is used in inflammatory arthritis
for massage and saffron is used in foul smelling, excessive perspirtion and
wounds.Stem bark is used as astringent, in combination with ginger as
sudorific.Nagakeshar is applied locally over penis in case of impotency due to
its stimulant action.Nagkesar mixed with shatadhouta ghee is applied on burning
palms and soles.Leaves are applied on head in severe cold.
Internal:
Central nervous system-Being brain tonic it is useful in
brain debility and hysteria.
Digestive system-It is appetizer, mainly digestive ,
antidipsetic, antiemetic, antihaemorrhoid,astringent and vermicide, hence it is
used in anorexia, distaste,dipsia,emesis,worms,bleeding piles,dysentry.It acts
as a haemostatic in bleeding piles.It should be given as a single drug.
Circulatory system-Being cardic tonic and haemostatic, it
is used in cardic debility,rakta pitta and blood disorders.
Respiratory system-It is used in cough induced by
kapha,dyspnoea and hiccougs as it alleviates kapha.
Reproductive system- It is used as an aphrodisiac and as a
haemostatic in menorrhagia.
Urinary system- Diuretic,hence useful in retention of
urine.
PARTS USED:Flower, oil,bark, leaf,bud,seed.
HERBAL REMEDIES:
•
Fine powder of nagakesara with butter is applied on soles to relieve burning
senstation of feet.
•
Nagakeshara mixed in Shatadhauta gritha works well in burning hands and feet.
•
Paste of nagakeshara controls excessive sweating and is benificial as a
deodorant.
•
Chewing together Nagakeshara , cardamom and rock candy improves voice in sore
throat.
•
Paste of nagakeshara is applied over penis for better erection.
•
Nagakeshara seed oil is used for massage in rhematic disorders to relieve pain
and swelling.
•
Stamen powder of nagakeshara 2gm,butter 1gm and rock candy 1gm is mixed well and
consumed for relief from bleeding piles. |
