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.