Karanja

Botanical Name

Caesalpinia Crista

Family

Leguminosae

Sanskrit

Karanja, Kuberakshah, Prakiriya, Putikah, Putikaranja, Tirini, Varini, Vitapakaranja

English

Fever Nut, Teri Pods

Hindi

Kantakaranja, Kharare

Kannada

Gajjiga, Kiri Gejjuga

Malayalam

Ban Karetti, Kaka Moullou, Kazhanji

Telugu

Mulluthige

Tamil

Kalarchik Koluntu, Kalachikai, Kazarci

Marathi

Gajaga, Karbath, Sagaragota, Gajri

Distribution

Within india, it is found throughout on the banks of rivers in tidal forests, near the eastern and western sea coast, westbengal, bhopal, and himachal pradesh.

Parts Used

Seed

Dose

Seed Pulp Churna 1 To 3 Grams

Chemical Constituents

Bonducin, phytosterinin, fatty acids, caesalpins, diterpenes

Ayurvedic Properties

Quality (Guna)

Laghu, Ruksha

Taste (Rasa)

Tikta, Kashaya

Metabolism (Vipaka)

Katu

Potency (Virya)

Ushna

Impact (Prabhava)

Vishamajvaraghna

Pharmacological Action

  • Antiviral, antimicrobial, antimalarial properties of karanja is helpful in treating fevers. Antimalarial property is present because of diterpenes
  • Antidiabetic property of karanja is because of ethanolic extract, beta sistosterol are helpful in controlling or lower blood sugar levels
  • Antifungal property of karanja is helpful in treating skin related and fungal infections
  • Antiinflammatory property of karanja is helpful in managing inflammations
  • Antiestrogenic
  • Antiamoebic
  • Antidiarrhoeal
  • Antifilarial property helps in treating filariasis
  • Improves immunity system

Therapeutic Uses

  • Blood purifier.
  • Uterine disorders.
  • Leprosy.
  • Abdominal disorders.
  • Joint disorders.

Some of the common formulations

  • Bilvadi gutika.
  • Mahamarichadi taila.
  • Argvadhadi kwatha churna.
  • Nyagrodhadi churna.
  • Somaraji taila.
  • Vajraka ghrita.
  • Vajraka taila.
  • Mustakaramjadi kwatha churna.