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Medicinal Plant details |
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Information |
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| Sanskrit Name |
Kantaki Karanj, Udakirya Karanj, Kuberaksh, Prakirya, Pootik (WOA, 1998).
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| Common name in English |
Bonduc nut tree, Fever nut tree |
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| Botanical Name |
Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb.
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| Parts Used |
Nuts |
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| Human Medicinal Usage |
A substitute for quinine is brought from the powdered kernels from roasted bonduc nuts. The seeds have a bitter taste, and are valued in indigenous medicine as a tonic. They are an ingredient of `Ayush-64' an ayurvedic compound preparation used as an anti-malarial drug (Jain et al., 1992). They are also made into an ointment for treating hydrocele. As an infusion they are used for curing cerebral haemorrhage and infantile convulsions. In Mauritius, crushed seeds are given as an anthelmintic mixed with honey or castor oil. In the West Indies, the roasted seeds are made into a kind of coffee for diabetics. The seeds are reported to be abortifacient The drug is antiperiodic, febrifuge, tonic, anti-asthamatic (Gayaraja et al., 1978), anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory (Jetmalani, et al. 1966) and antimicrobial (Neogi & Nayak, 1958; Raman, & Muthumuniasamy, 2000; Simin et al., 2001). It is given in doses of from ten to fifteen grains every four hours. It is described as closely resembling quinine in action, as harmless to pregnant women, as not being contraindicated during fever, and as well borne by patients with quinine .The seeds are antipyretic. Gupta et al. (2004) has reported antitumor and antioxidant activity of the plant.
The oil is emollient and used as a cosmetic preparation, and also for stopping discharge from ears. It is antirheumatic, and compares favourably with phenylbutazone. In Katra valley (Jammu and Kashmir), the plant-juice is taken for two weeks after meals to cure intermittent fever. In Sri Lanka, in the indigenous system of medicine, the plant is used for treatment of skeletal fractures. The seeds and leaves are reported to be used in skin diseases, rheumatism, diarrhoea (Iyengar & Pendse, 1965).
The root and stem-extracts inhibit the growth of Rhizopus arrhizus Fischer in vitro. Powdered roots, taken with honey, cure leucorrhoea. In Kangra (Himachal Pradesh), the roots are used in intermittent fevers and diabetes. Grower et al. (2002) has also reported the antidiabetic effect of the plant. In Jamaica, the bark is used as a rubefacient and as a local application for sores.
The seed powder is given in menstrual disorders in tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh. In Homoeopathy the plant is considered an excellent remedy for chronic fever with headache etc. The seed powder showed hypogly caemic activity in experimental animals. The powder forms a household remedy for of diabetes in Nicobar Island. According to Saeed & Sabir (2001), the methanol extract and four triterpenoids isolated from the seeds of Caesalpinia bonducella showed a wide range of inhibiting activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
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| Synonyms |
Guilandina bonduc L., Caealpinia bonducella (L.) Fleming
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| Family |
Caesalpiniaceae
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| Description |
An armed scandent or scrambling shrubs, up to 6 m in height; branchlets glossy, black, armed with recurved prickles at the base of pinnae and elsewhere. Leaves pinnately compound, upto 40 cm long; pinnae 6-11 pairs, leaflets stalked, coriaceous, base rounded to acute, apex mucronate, margins curved, upper surface shining, lower dull. Flowers yellow, fragrant, in axillary and terminal racemes, 30-60 cm long. Pods somewhat swollen, dark brown to black, oblong, 1 or 2 seeded, beaked. Seeds orbicular or ovoid to reniform, black, polished, hard (WOA, 1998).
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| Common Name in India |
Kachaki, Kakachi, Kankach (Gujarati); Sagargota, Gajarghota, Gaajga, Gajara (Marathi); Kanja, Karanjuwa, Kanta Karanj (Hindi); Nata Karanj (Bengali); Nata (Asamese); Gajagakayi (Kannada); Kazhanchikkuru (Malayalam); Avil, Gujju (Tamil); Gachchakaya (Telugu) (WOA, 1998). |
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| Habitat |
It is found wild throughout the plains (WOA, 1998).
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| Rainfall |
Naturalized in average rainfall areas.
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| Soil (Physical/Chemical) |
Various soils with pH around 6.2 to 8.1. |
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| Regional Distribution |
It is found wild throughout the plains of India and up to an altitude of 1,000 m in the Himalayas; it is also found in the deltaic regions of western, eastern and southern India (WOA, 1998). |
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| Global Distribution |
Distributed in the tropics and sub-tropics (WOA, 1998).
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| Chemical composition |
The seeds contain proteins (25.3%); the amino acid composition of the seed proteins is as follows: arginine, 0.2; cystine, 0.9; histidine, 3.4; leucine and isoleucine, 15.4; lysine, 6.8; methionine, 0.9; phenylalanine, 5.2; threonine, 8.2; tryptophan, 0.4; and valine, 8.5 g/16 g N. The seeds yield a thick, yellow fatty oil (20-24%) having a disagreeable odour. The oil has the following fatty acid composition: palmitic, 4.5; stearic, 7.5; oleic, 29.0; linoleic, 59.0%; and lignoceric, traces. The defatted kernels contain a-, -, g-, d- and e- caesalpins, caesalpin F(C26H36O9, m p 236.5- 37.5) and a homoisoflavone, bonducellin (C17H14O4, m p 205). In addition to these substances, sucrose and glucose are also reported to be present. The seeds contain an oil (5.0%) the fatty acid composition of which is: myristic, 10.8; stearic, 4.0; arachidic, 1.0; oleic, 11.2; and linoleic, 70.9%.
Leaves gave: crude protein, 25.2; ether extr. 6.9; crude fibre, 11.8; N-free extr, 47.2; mineral matter, 9.0; calcium, 2.0; and phosphorus, 0.3%. A bitter principle (C24H32O8, m p 119-20) and a waxy material, which yields, on saponification, myristic acid and an alcohol, have also been isolated. The debittered and dewaxed leaves, on extraction with alcohol, yield pinitol (4%) and glucose.
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REFERENCES |
| SR No. |
NAME |
ARTICLE TITLE |
AUTHOR |
PLACE OF PUBLICATION |
VOLUME/ISSUE |
YEAR |
PUBLISHER |
COMMENT |
| 1 |
Ind J Pharmacol. |
Anti-asthmatic properties of Caesalpinia bonduc leaves. |
Gayaraja, S, Shinde, S, Agarwal, SL. |
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10(1): 86. |
1978. |
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| 2 |
J Ethnopharmacol. |
Medicinal plants of India with anti-diabetic potential. |
Grover, JK, Yadav, S, Vats, V. |
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81(1): 81-100. |
2002. |
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| 3 |
J Pharmacol Sci. |
Antitumor activity and antioxidant status of Caesalpinia bonducella against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in Swiss albino mice. |
Gupta, M, Mazumder, UK, Kumar, RS, Sivakumar, T, Vamsi, ML. |
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94(2):177-184. |
2004. |
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| 4 |
Ind J Pharmacy. |
Anti-diarrhoeal activity of the nut of Caesalpinia bonducella (Flem). |
Iyengar, MA, Pendse, GS. |
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27(11): 307. |
1965. |
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| 5 |
Ind J Nat Products. |
Anti-malarial activity of Caesalpinia crista nuts |
Jain, S, Saraf, S, Dharya, MD, Renapurkar, OM, Dixit, VL. |
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8(1): 13-15. |
1992. |
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| 6 |
Ind J Pharmacy. |
Biological investigation of Caesalpinia bonducella Flem. |
Neogi, NC, Nayak, KP. |
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20: 95-100. |
1958. |
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| 7 |
Asian Journal of Chemistry. |
Extraction, characterization and antibacterial activity of Caesalpinia bonducella seed oil using n-hexane as solvent. |
Raman, N, Muthumuniasamy, J. |
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12: 925-926. |
2000. |
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| 8 |
Fitoterapia. |
Antibacterial activity of Caesalpinia bonducella seeds. |
Saeed, MA, Sabir, AW. |
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72(7): 807-809. |
2001. |
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| 9 |
Phytotherapy Research. |
Antimicrobial activity if seed extracts and bondenolide from Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb. |
Simin, K, Khaliq-uz-Zaman, SM, Ahmad, AU. |
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15(5): 437-440. |
2001 |
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| 10 |
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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