Botanical Name

Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.

Family

Fabaceae

Synonyms

Cajan indorum Medik., Cajanus bicolor DC., Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth, Cajanus flavus DC., Cajanus indicus Spreng., Cajanus luteus Bello, Cajanus obcordifolius V.Singh, Cajanus striatus Bojer, Cytisus cajan L., Phaseolus balicus L.

Regional Name

English : Pigeon Pea, Red Gram , Hindi : Arahad, Arahar ,  Sanskrit : Tuvari, Urdu : Arhar , Punjabi : Arhar , Assamese : Ruharmah , Bengali : Adar, Aaharee, Arhar , Gujrati : Tuvar, Tuvera, Tur, Tuver, Kannada : Togari, Tovaree, Togari, Kari Uddu, Togaribele , Malayalam : Thuvara, Tuvara , Marathi : Toor, Toori, Tura , Oriya : Harada, Kandulagachha , Tamil : Tovarai, Thovary, Adagi Tuvari, Thuvarai, Tuvarai, Thovarai ,Telgu : Kandulu, Kadulu.

Part Used

Seed.

Description

Adhaki is an annual or perennial, erect shrub, 1.2-3.1 m high, cultivated almost throughout as a pulse crop upto an altitude of 1830 m in the Himalayas. It is mainly grown in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Root stout, branched, cylindrical, tapering having a number of secondary roots and rootlets, surface rough due to transversely running light brown lenticels, cream to light yellow externally, dirty white internally; fracture, hard and fibrous; odour, characteristic; taste, acrid.

Phytoconstituents

Saponins and Reducing Sugars.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Madhura, Kasaya , Guna : Laghu, Ruksa , Virya : Sita , Vipaka : Katu , Karma : Vatakara, Pittahara, Kaphahara, Grahi, Varnya, Rucikara, Visaghna.

Ayurvedic Applications

Mahapancagavya Ghrta, Kankayana Gutika.

Medicinal Uses

They are also used for the treatment of wounds, bedsores, jaundice, malaria, liver disorders and diet-induced hypercholesterolemia. It is also used to cure gingivitis, stomatitis and stomach pain.