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Medicinal Plant details |
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Information |
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| Sanskrit Name |
Soma, Rajika, Krishna (WOA, 1998).
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| Common name in English |
Ragi, Kurakkan, African/Indian millet, Koracan, Korakan, Raggee corn |
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| Botanical Name |
Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn. |
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| Parts Used |
Grains, Straw |
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| Human Medicinal Usage |
Ragi has the reputataion of being an alleviator of pain in kidney region. To cure the ulcer, decoction of ragi seeds is given orally and its herbaceous parts are applied externally. This is also considered to be a substitute of wheat and rice for diabetic patients and also taken with buttermilk in the morning in leucorrhoea and menorrhagia (Hilu & Wet, 1976; Reed, 1976; Shah & Badola, 1977; Hemadri & Rao, 1983; Lakshmi Kumari & Sumathi, 2002). The leaf juice has been given to women in childbirth, and the plant is reported to be diaphoretic, diuretic, and vermifuge (Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962). It is a folk remedy for leprosy, liver disease (Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962), measles, pleurisy, pneumonia, and small pox (Duke & Wain, 1981). |
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| Veterinary Medicinal Usage |
As an animal ages, its horn often curls so that it penetrates the head or the lower portion of the horn. To treat the wound, a few human hairs are added to a paste of `Nagli' (Eleusine coracana) flour and water. This paste is applied and the wound is bandaged until the wound is healed (Patel & Kalyansundaram, 1992). Leaves of veliparuthi (Pergularia daemia), kuppaimeni (Acalypha indica), the bark of neem (Azadirachta indica) and velvelam (Acacia leucocephela) are ground well, mixed with ragi flour and given to birds for feeding as a way of treating Ranikhet (Balu, 2002; Anonymous, 2003). 'Ragi', cooked the previous day, is mixed with fat of the pig. Small balls made of it are fed to the animal to treat enteritis (Kannappan, 1995). Durig treatment, FMD affected animals are fed only cooked ragi and boiled water (Singh, 1995).
Partially baked 'nagli'(Eleusine coracana) bread, is applied in the bone fracture. A bandage made of the bark of 'akota' tree is then tied on the bone and it is left undisturbed till it heal (Chaudhary, 1993). Flour made out of grains of 'Nagal' (Eleusine coracana) is pasted on the broken edge of horn (Posalebhai, 1992). Ragi is a folk remedy for leprosy, liver disease, measles, pleurisy, pneumonia, and small pox. |
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| Agriculture Usage |
Decoction of boiled root of `Nagali' (Eleusine coracana) and leaves of `Naffatiya' (Ipomoea fistulosa) plant is filtered and sprayed on the termite affected plant (Posalebhai, 1992).
Garlic can be stored for a long time by keeping it in a vessel containing ragi grains (Iyyappan, 1997). When the Ragi grain is threshed for separating seeds, the husk is collected and later used as manure in the fields where sweet potato is cultivated. This practice increases the size of tubers and also improves soil texture (Iyyappan, 1997). In irrigated sandy loam soils, a mixture of 'kodra' (Paspalum scorbiculatum), 'nagli' (Eleusine coracana) and 'bhindi' (Hibiscus cannnabinus) seeds are broadcast on the bunds for soil conservation (Ganvit, 1993).
Ten kg of wet garlic is mixed with two kg of ragi in a clean empty vessel to prevent garlic sprouting because it has the capacity to absorb moisture (Ganesan, 2000-2001). |
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| Other Usage |
Ragi is the main food grain, especially in dry areas of India and Sri Lanka. Grain is higher in protein, fat and minerals than rice, corn, or sorghum (Reed, 1976). It is usually converted into flour and made into cakes, Puddings, or porridge (Duke, 1983). Grains are also used in preparation of a fermented drink or beer (Makokha et al., 2002). Grain may also be malted and a flour of the malted grain used as a nourishing food for infants and invalids. Straw makes valuable fodder for both working and milking animals. |
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| Synonyms |
Cynosurus coracanus L. |
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| Family |
Poaceae (Gramineae) |
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| Description |
An erect, stout annual grass, 0.5-1.2 m tall. Leaves: often over-topping the stem, 5-6 mm broad; sheaths compressed, loose; ligule a fringe of hairs. Spikes 4-7, sub erect, or frequently incurved; rachis pubescent at base, somewhat 3-gonous or back flattened. Spikelets much congested, awnless, 3 to 6-flowered. Involucral glumes ovate-oblong, keeled; flowering glumes variable in size, 1 to 2-nerved inside. Grain globose, 1.2 mm in diam., dark brown, somewhat rugose, slightly flattened on one side. Fl.& Fr.: Sept. -Nov. (Kirtikar & Basu, 1996). |
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| Common Name in India |
Makra (Hindi); Bavto, Navto (Gujarati); Nagli (Sindhi); Nachni (Marathi); Murooa (Bengali); Ragulu, Tamidalu (Telugu); Ragi (Malyalam); Iragi (Tamil); Chalodra (Punjabi); Ragi (Kannada) (WOA, 1998). |
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| Common Name in Other Countries |
Bishnah, Raggi, Kanab (Arabic), Ragigierst, Korakan (Dutch), Sormihirssi (Finnish), Coracan, Eleusine, Mil rouge (French), Korakan, Kurakan, Ragihirse, Krummahrige Eleusine (German), Coracan, Dagussa, Eleusina (Italian), Shikoku bie (Japanese), Kodo (Nepalese), Coracan (Portuguese), Coracan, Ragi, Mijo coracano (Spanish) |
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| Habitat |
Thia cereal plant is grown almost in all parts of India (Nadkarni, 2002), also naturalized in wetlands. |
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| Rainfall |
The crop is drought tolerant (Anonymous, 1997) and can grow in low to moderate rainfall areas. |
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| Soil (Physical/Chemical) |
It requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil and can grow in saline soil also (scs.leeds, 2003).
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| Regional Distribution |
Commonly cultivated in South and western India. |
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| Global Distribution |
It is grown extensively in dryland regions of East Africa, Central Africa and Southern India (Bennetzen, 2003), South Africa, Europe, Madagascar, Brazil, Peru, Asia (Rachie & Peters, 1977)
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| Harvest |
The crop is ready to harvest in 120-135 days depending on the tract and the variety. Harvesting is made by sickles and straw is cut close to the ground. Ear heads are heaped for three to four days to cure and then threshed with hand or bullocks. Straw can be conserved by putting up in the well built stakes for animals. |
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| Pests / Diseases |
Many fungul diseases are seen in the crop such as blast (Piricularia spp.), seedling blights (Cocliobolus noduloeus), downy mildew (Sclerophthora macrospora) and smut.
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| Chemical composition |
The straw is reported to contain protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, ash, Ca, P, Na and K (CSIR, 1948-1976; Vadivoo et al., 1998; Gourinath et al., 2000; Nirmala & Muralikrishna, 2003; Payan, 2004). The plant yields hydrocyanic acid (Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962). Orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, isovitexin, saponarin, violanthin, lucenin-1 and tricin found in leaves. Subba Rao & Muralikrishna (2002) evaluated the antioxidant properties of free and bound phenolic acids from native and malted finger millet. Structural analysis of arabinoxylans also carried out (Subba Rao & Muralikrishna, 2004). |
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REFERENCES |
| SR No. |
NAME |
ARTICLE TITLE |
AUTHOR |
PLACE OF PUBLICATION |
VOLUME/ISSUE |
YEAR |
PUBLISHER |
COMMENT |
| 1 |
Biochim Biophys Acta. |
Structural basis for the inhibition of mammalian and insect alpha-amylases by plant protein inhibitors |
Payan, F. |
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1696(2): 171-180. |
2004. |
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| 2 |
J. Smartt and N.W. Simmonds (Eds.)
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Finger millet - Eleusine coracana (Gramineae-Eragrostidae). in: |
De Wet, JMJ. |
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137-140. |
1995. |
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| 3 |
Duke, JA. 1983. |
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Handbook of Energy Crops. |
| 4 |
Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. |
Structure of the bifunctional inhibitor of trypsin and alpha-amylase from ragi seeds at 2.2 A resolution. |
Gourinath, S, Alam, N, Srinivasan, A, Betzel, C, Singh, TP. |
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56(3): 287-293. |
2000. |
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| 5 |
Ancient Science of Life. |
Leucorrhoea and menorrhagia: tribal medicine |
Hemadri, K, Rao, SS. |
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3(1): 40-41. |
1983. |
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| 6 |
Econ Bot. |
Domestication of Eleusine coracana. |
Hilu, KW, De Wet, JMJ. |
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30: 199-217. |
1976. |
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| 7 |
Plant Foods Hum Nutr. |
Effect of consumption of finger millet on hyperglycemia in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) subjects. |
Lakshmi Kumari, P, Sumathi, S. |
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57(3-4): 205-213. |
2002 |
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| 8 |
Food Nutr Bull. |
Effect of traditional fermentation and malting on phytic acid and mineral availability from sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana) grain varieties grown in Kenya. |
Makokha, AO, Oniang'o, RK, Njoroge, SM, Kamar, OK. |
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23(3 Suppl): 241-245. |
2002. |
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| 9 |
Phytochemistry.
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Three alpha-amylases from malted finger millet (Ragi, Eleusine coracana, Indaf-15)--purification and partial characterization. |
Nirmala, M, Muralikrishna, G. |
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62(1): 21-30. |
2003. |
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| 10 |
ICRISAT Press. |
The Eleusines. A Review of the World Literature. |
Rachie, KO, Peters, LV. |
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1977. |
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| 11 |
J Agric Food Chem. |
Evaluation of the antioxidant properties of free and bound phenolic acids from native and malted finger millet (ragi, Eleusine coracana Indaf-15) |
Subba Rao, MV, Muralikrishna, G. |
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50(4): 889-892. |
2002 |
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| 12 |
Carbohydr Res. |
Structural analysis of arabinoxylans isolated from native and malted finger millet (Eleusine coracana, ragi) |
Subba Rao, MV, Muralikrishna, G. |
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339(14): 2457-2463. |
2004. |
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| 13 |
Plant Foods Hum Nutr. |
Genetic variability and diversity for protein and calcium contents in finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) in relation to grain color |
Vadivoo, AS, Joseph, R, Ganesan, NM. |
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52(4): 353-364. |
1998 |
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| 14 |
Sachitra Ayurved. |
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Shah, NC, Badola, D. 1977. Som kasahityik vivechan. |
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30(3): 207-214. |
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| 15 |
Sachitra Ayurved. |
Som kasahityik vivechan. |
Shah, NC, Badola, D. |
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30(3): 207-214. |
1977. |
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| 16 |
E.& S. Livingstone Ltd. |
The medicinal and poisonous plants of southern and eastern Africa. 2nd ed. |
Watt, JM, Breyer-Brandwijk, MG. |
Edinburgh and London. |
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1962. |
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| 17 |
International Book Distributors. |
(Reprint ed.). Indian Medicinal Plants. |
Kirtikar, KR, Basu, BD. |
Dehra Dun. |
Vol. 1. |
1995 |
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| 18 |
WOA |
The Wealth of Asia |
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New Delhi |
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1998 |
National Institute of Science Communication, CSIR |
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