Botanical name : Quassia amara Linn.
Family : Simaroubaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Jvaraghni, Tikta
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta
Guna : Lakhu, Rooksha
Virya : Seeta
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Surinam wood, amargo, Bitterwood
Hindi :
Malayalam : Jvaram kolli
Distribution : In the forests of Brazil, introduced to India as garden plant.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
It is a shrub or rarely a small tree, growing to 3 m tall (rarely 8 m). The leaves are compound and alternate, 15-25 cm long, and pinnate with 3-5 leaflets, the leaf rachis being winged. The flowers are produced in a panicle 15-25 cm long, each flower 2.5-3.5 cm long, bright red on the outside, and white inside. The fruit is a small drupe 1-1.5 cm long.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, inflammation, fever, malaria, anorexia nervosa, liver diseases and burning sensation. The plant extracts are used as natural insecticide for aphids and lice.
Useful part : Leaves, Bark, Root.
CHEMICAL CONTENTS
Amargo contains the phytochemical quassin, the bitterest substance found in nature. The bitterness threshold is 1: 60.000 Quassiamarin, a phytochemical that has demonstrated antileukemic - and anti-timorous properties are also found in this plant. Quassia has prophylactic activity against lice.
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Properties 