Botanical Name
Holarrhena pubescens Wall. ex G.Don
Family
Apocynaceae.
Synonyms
Holarrhena antidysenterica (Roth) Wall. ex A.DC , Holarrhena antidysenterica var. macrantha Kerr, Holarrhena antidysenterica var. pubescens (Wall.) J.L.Stewart & Brandis.
Regional Name
English : Ester Tree, Conessi Seeds, Hindi : Indraju, Kurchi, Kuraiya, Sanskrit :BhadraYava, Kalinga, Sakra, Vatsaka, Urdu :Tukhm-e-Kurchi, IndarjaoTalkh, Punjabi :Indrajau, Kaurasakh, Kura, Assamese :Dudhkuri, Bengali :Kurchi, Gujrati :Kuda, Kudo, Kannada :KodasigeBeeja,Malayalam : Kutakappala, Marathi :Kudayache Beej, Oriya :Kurei, Keruan, Tamil :Kudasapalai, Telugu :KodisapalaVittulu, Palakodisa, Vittulu.
Part Used
Stem Bark.
Description
Kutaj is a small to medium sized tree, found throughout India. Seeds compressed, linear, or oblong, elongated, margins curved inside, one sideconvex and other side concave with a longitudinal striation; 1-2 cm long, 0.2-0.3 cm thick, surface light yellowish- brown; odour, not distinct; taste, bitter.
Phytoconstituents
It contains Steroidal Alkaloids, gum, Fats, Tannin and Resin. Steroidal alkaloids, which include conessine, nor-conessine, conessinine, isoconessimine, conessimine, conimine, conarrhimin, concessidine, conessidine, kurchine, holarrhenine, holacetine, holarrhine, holadiene, holafrine, holarrhetine, holadysine, holonamine, holantosines A, B, C & D and holarosine A; aminodeoxyglycosteroids, holarosine B, E & F and holadysenterine conkurchine, kurchaline, kurchicine, kurchiphylline, kurchiphyllamine etc. It also contains alkaloids L-quebrachiol, dihydroisoconessmine and 3 α-aminoconan-5-ene, base, kurcholessine, 7 α-hydroxyconessine, aminoglycosteroids.
Ayurvedic Properties
Rasa: Katu, Tikta, Guna :Laghu, Ruksa, Vipaka :Katu, Virya :Sita, Karma :Dipana, Sangrahi, Tridosasamaka.
Ayurvedic Applications
Atisara, Kusta, Jvaratisara, Krmi, Visarpa, Grahani, Raktatisara, Sula, Chardi, Tvakroga, Daha.
Medicinal Uses
It is used in digestive problems, amoebic dysentery, diarrhoea, piles, ulcers, bleeding, burning sensation, Appetite loss, epilepsy, leprosy, fever, anaemia, skin infections, cholera, chronic bronchitis, lumbago, Arthritis, osteoarthritis, leucoderma, urinary discharges.