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Sonpatha
(Oroxylum
indicum
syn. Calosanthes indica) roots are much esteemed
being an ingredient of the Dashmula (Das- Ten;
Mula - Roots). In Dashmula, the roots of ten
different herbs are used viz. Aegle
marmelos,
Oroxylum
indicum,
Stereospermum
suaveolens,
Gmelina
arborea,
{{Clerodendron phlomoides}e}, Pseudarthria
viscida,
Uraria
picta,
Solanum
indicum,
Solanum
xanthocarpum
and Tribulus
terrestris.
Sonpatha is one of the major ingedients of
Dashmul. Sonpatha is a common herb found in
Chhattisgarh.
Although it is not in the list of non-wood
forest produces having routine demand but many
herb traders informed me that they supply this
herb very frequently to some leading
pharmaceutical companies of India.
They further informed me that the adulteration
in this root is common practice and buyers at
national levels are aware of this
malpractice. The forests of Chhattisgarh,
rich in bio-diversity, supply almost all major
ingredients of Dashmula but it is a bitter fact
that not a single pharmaceutical unit is active
in preparation of Dashmula in Chhattisgarh.
There is a tremendous scope in this field. This
is positive sign that the traditional healers of
Chhattisgarh are aware of use of Dashmula and
they prepare it and use it in routine treatment.
Through my ethnobotanical surveys in different
parts of Chhattisgarh, I collected many valuable
information on traditional uses of Sonpatha. I
have noted that the experts using Sonpatha are
less in number and the valuable information is
ending with these experts. The young generation
is not taking interest in these information. In
present article, I am describing some
traditional uses of Sonpatha as medicine.
Botanically Sonpatha is a small to
medium sized deciduous tree found throughout the
greater part of India.
Bark greyish brown with corky lenticles; Leaves
very large, 0.5-1.5 metre in length, 2-3
pinnate, leaflets 12 cm long and 8cm broad;
Flowers reddish. Purple outside, pale pinkish
yellow within ; Fruits flat capsule upto one
metre long, 5-10cm broad, sword-shaped. Seeds
numerous, flat and winged all around except at
the base.
As mentioned earlier,
Sonpatha holds a reputed position as medicine in
different systems of medicine in India. As
medicine, roots and fruits are used most
frequently. According to
Ayurveda,
root bark is acrid, astringent
to bowels, cooling, aphrodisiac,
tonic, appetiser and useful in biliousness,
bronchitis,
fevers, intestinal worms, vomiting, dysentery,
leucoderma,
asthma,
inflammations, and troubles etc. fruits are
acrid, stomachic, {{anthelmintic}g}, good in
heart and throat diseases, piles,
bronchitis etc. According to Unani
system of medicine fruits are expectorant,
improves appetite and useful in leucoderma.
Industrially, the bark and fruits are used in
dyeing and tanning.
The natives of
Chhattisgarh eat the young shoots and unripe
fruits with taste. The thin light seeds are also
edible. In ancient times, the traditional
healers of Chhattisgarh were using the thin
light seeds to prepare special hats in order to
treat the Adhasisi (Migraine).
The traditional healers of northern hilly
regions of Chhattisgarh informed me about this
use during my survey. This is really unique use
and not reported in available literatures. I
personally feel that there is a need for
detailed scientific investigation. In case of
rheumatic pain, the traditional healers use the
Sonpatha roots. They prepare a decoction and
give it internally. Also they suggest the
patients to expose the affected parts to the
fumes coming from decoction to get relief. The
aqueous paste of root bark is used externally in
treatment of urinary system diseases. The
healers of Chhattisgarh Plains use this herb in
treatment of diarrhoea internally. They take
precaution during this treatment as over-dose
can cause constipation.
It is also used as veterinary
medicine.
New comments added on
February 11, 2007
The Traditional
Healers of Southern Chhattisgarh use fifteen
species of tree species in order to enrich
Sonpatha with medicinal properties. They collect
rain drops from these tree species and treat
Sonpatha with it. Many Healers prepare herbal
extracts from these species and irrigate
Sonpatha one week before collection of plant
parts. I am trying to get more information on
this Traditional Allelopathic
Knowledge.
Due
to these limited traditional medicinal uses, I
have kept this herb in the category of less
known herb but through my on-going surveys, I
trying to get more information on
Sonpatha.
Thank you very much for
reading the article.
New
Comments added on January 15,
2010
Through
recent Ethnobotanical surveys I have collected
much information on different aspects of
Sonpatha. Now information on over 1200
Tradtional Formulations in which Sonpatha is
added as primary, secondary and tertiary
ingredients are available in CGBD database with
film strips and pictures. The efforts to make
this database online is in progress.
Original
Research Document
http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=1176&page=-2
How
to Cite this Research Document
Oudhia,
P. (2010). Medicinal
herbs of Chhattisgarh, India having less known
traditional uses XXV. Sonpatha (Oroxylum
indicum,family:
(Bignoniaceae)
(New comments) [Updated documents, year 2010]
http://www.pankajoudhia.com
©
Pankaj
Oudhia |
