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Medicinal Plant details |
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| Sanskrit Name |
Bhallatakah, Aruskarah. |
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| Common name in English |
Marking nut tree, Oriental cashew nut. |
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| Botanical Name |
Semecarpus anacardium L. f. |
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| Parts Used |
Fruits. |
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| Human Medicinal Usage |
The fruits are bitter, acrid, sweet, thermogenic, digestive, carminative, anthelmintic, purgative, livertonic, expectorent, aphrodisiac, antiarthritic, anticarcinomic, stimulant, astringent, sudorific, rejuvenating and tonic. They are used in beriberi, cancer, vitiated conditions of Kapha and Vata, sciatica, neuritis, cough, asthma, dyspepsia, constipation, flatulence, colic, haemorrhoids, helminthiasis, especially hookworms, hepatopathy, leprosy, leucoderma, scaly skin eruption, inflammations, cardiac diseases, fever, diabetes, scrophula, tumours, ulcers and general debility (Anonymous, 1948-1976; Anonymous, 1951; Chopra, 1958; Ambast, 1986; Varier, 1997).
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| Veterinary Medicinal Usage |
Semecarpus anacardium is used as insecticidal, antiseptic, termite-repellent, anthelmintic and antibacterial in animals (Choudhary et al., 2000-2001). A mixture of 500 gm ghee kaur (Aloe vera), 500 gm camphor, 100 gm turmeric (Curcuma longa) and 100 gm til oil helps in the speedy healing of burn injuries/wounds in animals when applied on the affected portion (Chandan, 2001). To treat 'Kunnu' disease, a fever for three days in animal characterised by erect hair and shivering of legs, 200 ml of gingelly oil (sesame oil) is administered orally (Vivekanandan, 2002). To prevent hair loss in camels, a special oil made up of bhilama (Semecarpus anacardium), Copper Sulphate and karanj (Pongammia pinnata) oil is applied using jute bags as swabs (Desai, 1999). Seeds of Semecarpus anacardium and jaggery are mixed, ground and feed the cattle once to tret diarrhoea (Hamed, 1998). Four to five fruits of Semecarpus anacardium are soaked in a mud pot for two days. These are then ground and mixed with rice or rice-bran, and fed to the cattle. This is believed to increase the milk yield (Geervani, 1997). Three-four seeds/fruits of `Bhilama' (Semecarpus anacardium), are fed to the animal everyday when it is not coming in heat or fails to conceive successfully (Patel, 1992). One seed of searnkottai (Semecarpus anacardium) is administered to the cow per day for three days for deworming (Picthai, 1996).
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| Agriculture Usage |
The use of Semecarpus anacardium is as insecticidal, antiseptic, termite-repellent, anthelmintic and antibacterial in plants (Choudhary et al., 2000-2001). Used to make 'masala bolus' for control of pests in crops (Singaravel, 2002). Powder the raw cashew seed and dry it. Pour heated coal into a metal pot and over it put the powdered cashew seeds. Hold this pot near the plants infested with balck lice so that the fumes emanating from the pot spread over it. This destroys the black lice (Prakash, 1996).
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| Other Usage |
If ten to twelve cashew fruits are squeezed and mixed along with the cowdung and fed into the gas plant, the gas production increases ( Prakash, 1997).
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| Family |
Anacardiaceae
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| Description |
A medium large sized tree, 15-25 m high, with grey bark exfoliating in small irregular flakes. Leaves simple, alternate, oblong, ovate, rounded at the apex, coriaceous, glabrous above, more or less pubescent beneath; main nerves 15-25 pairs. Flowers greenish white, fascicled in panicles. Fruits obliquely ovoid or oblong drupes, 2-5 cm long, black or yellow when ripe, sealed on a fleshy receptacle.
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| Common Name in India |
Bhela, Bhilava (Hindi); Bhilamo (Gujarati); Ceru, Alakukceru (Malayalam); Sankottai, Erimugi (Tamil); Bhallatamu, Jidi (Telugu); Goddugeru, Karigeri, Bhallika (Kannad)
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| Habitat |
It is found growing throughout India in semi evergreen and moist deciduous forests up to an elevation of 350 ft. |
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| Rainfall |
Moderate to heavy rainfall. |
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| Soil (Physical/Chemical) |
It can grow over many types of soil but prefer loamy soil with good organic content. |
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| Regional Distribution |
In India, it is found in Sub Himalayan tracts, Assam, Khasia hills, Chitagong, Central India, Gujarat, Konkan and Southern India.
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| Chemical composition |
It contains more then seven components; two major components identified as dimethyl ethers of 1-pentadeca-8-enyl-2,3-dihyroxybenzene and 1-pentadeca -7,10-dienyl-1,3-dihyroxybenzene; defatted nuts yielded three biflavones A, B and C; latter two compounds characterized as 3',8-binaringenin and 3',8-bili-quiritigenin; a new biflavan- tetrahydrorobustaflavone - and tetrahydroamentoflavone isolated from nuts; leaves yield edonly amento flavone.
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| Herbarium No |
0 |
REFERENCES |
| SR No. |
NAME |
ARTICLE TITLE |
AUTHOR |
PLACE OF PUBLICATION |
VOLUME/ISSUE |
YEAR |
PUBLISHER |
COMMENT |
| 1 |
Anonymous. |
Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic plants of Travancore Cochin. |
Anonymous. |
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1951. |
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| 2 |
Chopra, RN. |
Indigenous Drugs of India, |
Chopra, RN. |
Calcutta, |
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1982. |
Academic Publishers, |
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| 3 |
CSIR, |
The useful plants of India. |
Ambast, SP. |
New Delhi. |
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1986. |
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| 4 |
CSIR Publication |
The Wealth of India. Raw Materials. |
Anonymous. |
New Delhi. |
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1948-1976. |
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| 5 |
Varier, PS. |
Indian medicinal plants. |
Varier, PS. |
Madras. |
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1997. |
Orient Lorgmann Ltd., |
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