MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SIKKIM

 

 

Basic Information

 

               

Species                                   : Nardostachys jatamansi DC

Local Name                             : Jatamasi (Nep)

Synonym                                 : N.grandiflora

Family                                      : Valerianaceae

Habitat                                   : It is an aromatic perennial herb grows at heights up to 5000 m in the eastern Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim.

Distribution                            : It is widely grown in the alpine zones of central and eastern Himalayas.

Sikkim                                     : Kupup, Nathang, Tamsay, Kyongnosla- Tamsay, Changu-Tamsay, Kisheong, Baba Mandir, Thongu-Green lake, Dzongri.

Outside                                   : UY (Tejum, Haya, Khankhatia, Dhar, Nandadevi, Chipla, Bhakakaham, Tarindiyar, Amrit- ganga valley, Pindari,

                                                Bhaliakhaan, Hemkund, Brahamatal, Gangotri, Badrinath, Pindarpar,Almora, Chamoli); Altitude of 3000- 5000 m.

Morphological information

Perennial herb up to 60 cm tall, with long woody rootstock. Rhizomes thick, dark grey, crowned with reddish brown tufted,fibrous remains of petioles of radical leaves. Leaves elliptic- lenceolate or spathulate. Flowers rose-purple to whitish in dense heads borne in terminal clusters, sepal coloured, 5-lobed; petal 5, rounded. Fruit obovate flattened. Seeds obovate, compressed.

Flowering                :

Fruiting                   :

History                   : Charaka, sushruta and vagbhatta all the three earliest writers of Ayurveda recommend Jatamansi most frequently in mental

                                disorders as a sedative and tranquilizers.

Parts                     : Rhizomes and root.

Status                   : Critically endangered

Phytochemistry

 Revised structure of nardostachone (Tetrahedron Lett. 1970, 413); structure of jatasmansic acid (Arch. Pharm.1974, 307, 791; Chem. Abstr. 1975, 82, 4423f); seychellende and seychelane isolated; seychalane found to be mixture of two epimers (Indian J.Chem. 1974, 12, 1221; phytochemistry 1976, 15, 224); norseychelanone patchoili alcohol and K and  -patchoulenes isolated from roots.(Phytochemistry 1976,15, 224); actinidine isolated from rhizomes (Shoyakugaku Zasshi 1978, 32, 121, Chem. Abstr. 1979, 90, 51471v).

 

Medicinal

 In ayurveda it is used in "Mansyadi Kuatha" and "Rakshaghna    Ghriti"Guna: Laghu, tiksha; Rasa: tikta, kahya; veerya: Sheeta; vipaka: Katu; Dosha: Vataka- phahara; Karma: Madhya, Pachana, Kushtaghna, varnya, keshaya.

 

Other

The drug is generally prepared and given in doses of 30- 60 g. 3 times per day in cases of hysteria, palpitation of heart, menopause and in various other nervous diseases.An essential oil obtained from rhizomes- antiarrhythmic, hypotensive, having distinct depressant action on central nervous system; promotes appetite and digestion, growth and darkness of hair; useful in leprosy and jaundice; tincture of rhizomes given for intestinal colic and flatulence.

 

 


Reference

1. Anonymous (1961). The Wealth of India (Vol. 6). Publications and Information Directorate, CSIR. New Delhi. 473.

2. Anonymous (1992). The Useful Plants of India. Publications and Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi. 388.

3. Kirtikar, K.R.; B.D. Basu (1993) Indian Medicinal Plants. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh Dehradun. 345.

4. Progress Report of the Project "Studies on Medicinal Plants of Sikkim" (1998- 2001). State Council of Science and Technology for Sikkim.