Botanical Name

Nardostachys jatamansi (D.Don) DC

Family

Valerianaceae.

Synonyms

Nardostachys chinensis Batalin, Nardostachys grandiflora DC., Patrinia jatamansi D.Don

Regional Name

English : Nardus root, Hindi : Balchara, Urdu : Sumbul-ut-teeb, Sanskrit : Mamsi, Jaa, Jaila, Punjabi : Billilotan, Balchhar, Chharguddi, Gujrati : Baalchad, Kalichad, Assamese : Jatamansi, Jatamangshi, Bengali : Jatamamsi, Kannada : Bhootajata, Ganagila maste, Kashmiri : Bhutijata, Malayalam : Manchi, Jatamanchi, Marathi : Jatamansi, Oriya : Jatamansi, Tamil : Jatamanji, Telugu : Jatamams.

Part Used

Root/ Rhizome.

Description

Jatamansi is an important medicinal plant of India, also occurring in Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and southwest China. In India it is found in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh at an altitude of 3000-5000 m on the sub-alpine Himalayan tracts. Jatamansi is an errect perennial herb, grow 10-60 cm high. Dried rhizome dark brown, 2.5-7.5 cm long, cylindrical, covered with reddish brown fibres forming a net work, which are skeletons of sheathing leaf bases, fracture, brittle, internal colour reddish-brown, colour, strongly aromatic, taste, acrid, slightly bitter.  Phytoconstituents Jatamansi chemical constituents are essential oil and resinuous matter. Essential oil contains - Actinidine, Carotene, Aristolens; Calarence, carenal, elemol, ,Droaristolene, B-eudesmol; Jatamols; A&B; Jatamansic acid, Jatamansone, Nardol, Nardostachonol, Nardostachone, Patchouli, Virolin, Angelivin, Jatamansin, Jatamansinol, Oroselol etc

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Tikta, Kasaya, Guna : Laghu, Vipaka : Katu, Virya : Sita, Karma : Medhya, Tridosanut, Varnya, Nidrajanana, Kushaghna.

Ayurvedic Applications

Daha, Kustha, Visarpa, Manasaroga, Anidra.

Medicinal Uses

It is used to improves brain functions,  improves strength and immunity, useful in herpes and skin diseases, useful in psychiatric conditions. It is used to purify blood, skin diseases, headache and depression.