Botanical Name

Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.

Family

Poaceae / Graminae.

Synonyms

Alopecurus typhoides Burm.f., Cenchrus americanus (L.), Morrone, Cenchrus  spicatus  (L.)  Cav., Chaetochloa glauca (L.)Scribn.,Panicum americanum L., Pennisetum  typhoideum  Rich., Pennisetum typhoides (Burm.f.) Stap f & C.E.Hubb., Pennisetum typhoideum Rich.

Regional Name

English: Spiked millet, Pearl millet, Bullrush millet, Hindi : Bajra, Urdu : Bajra, Bengali : Bajar, Lahra, Gujrati : Bajni, Kannada : Sajjai, Malayalam : Mattari, Marathi : Bajri, Bjr, Oriya : Gantia, Bajri, Punjabi : Bajra, Tamil : Kambu, Kampu, Telgu : Gantelu, Sajjalu, Sajja.

Description

It is cultivated in Eastern Europe, Africa, temperate Asia (western Asia, Arabia and China) and tropical Asia (India and Indo-China), Australia, South America, Caribbean.In India it is cultivated in the arid and semiarid regions of central and peninsular India. It is erect, robust, annual grass with tillers 1.5 - 3 (- 4) m tall; tillering from the base, and sometimes branching from the lower nodes; extensive root system, thick prop roots from lower nodes.  Stems 1 - 3 cm diameter, nodes glabrous to bearded.  Leaf-blades 20 - 100 cm long, 8 - 80 mm wide, ciliate, glabrous or hairy, linear to linear-lanceolate, flat, apex attenuate, base rounded or sub-cordate; ligule a fringe of hairs 2 - 3 mm long.Leaf bases sheathy, recurved, bearing ligules, shining, straw coloured, with smooth adaxial surface andfinely lined cream coloured abaxial surface; 1.5 to 2 cm in width and 14 to16 cm in length; venation parallel,lamina absent, odour and taste indistinct.

Part Used

Seed.

Phytoconstituents

It contains Flavonoid, alkaloids, tannins, phenols and saponins. It also contains minerals manganese, magnesium, phosphorous and smaller amounts of copper, iron, zinc, calcium and selenium. It is also contains B-complex vitamins, niacin and riboflavin, and many amino acids such as tryptophan, and vitamins E and K plus the Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Madhura, Kasaya, Guna: Ruksa, Guru, Virya : Usna, Vipaka : Amla, Karma : Balya, Durjara, Hrdya, Kaphavatahara, Pittahara, Purnstvahara, Vatakara

Ayurvedic Applications

Prameha, Saitya, Santarpanajanya roga, Sthaulya.

Medicinal Uses

It is used to treat chest disorders, heart diseases, Metabolic disorder, Constipation, Diarrhea, Stomach Ache, Peptic Ulcer, leprosy, Obesity, blennorrhoea, poisonings, Anaemia, jaundice, respiratory diseases in children.