Botanical name : Prosopis spicigera Linn (P. cineraria (L.) Druce)
Family : Leguminosae (Mimosaceae)
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Shami, Sankhphala, Keshahantri, Sivaphala, Mangalya, Papanasini.
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Madhura, Tikta, Kashaya
Guna : Guru, Rooksha
Virya : Seeta.
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Sponge tree
Hindi : Jand
Malayalam : Shami, Sami
Distribution – Throughout dry deserts in western India, Punjab, Afghanistan and Iran.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
Small sized tree grows up to 5 meters in height. Prickles few, none, or copious, 0.3 to 0.6 cm long, nearly straight, at first straw-coloured. Pinnae 2.5 to 5.0 cm long. Leaves are compound, with leaflets 16 to 24. Flowers in axillary spikes, 5.0 to 7.5 cm long, and in terminal panicles. Pod straight, edible, smooth, 10 to 15 cm long, 0.6 cm thick, narrowed gradually to a short stalk, Seeds 10 to 15, dull brown, oblong
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated kapha, pitta, diarrhea, anorexia, hemorrhoids, blood vomiting, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, skin diseases and vertigo.
Useful part : Bark, Root.
CHEMICAL CONTENTS
The stem bark contains vitamin K, n-octacosyl acetate, the long chain aliphatic acid. Presence of glucose, rhamnose, sucrose and starch is also reported.
A cytotoxic principle, patulibin, has been isolated from flowers.
Dosage - Leaf, fruit 3 - 5 g powder, 50 - 100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)
Photo : Dr. Nand Kumar Sahni MD
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