# Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Moringeæ

N. 0. MORINGACEÆ.
336. Moringa pterygosperma, Gaertn, h.f.b.i., ii. 45.
Syn. - Hyperanthera moringa, Vahl, Roxb. 368
Eng. Drumstick plant; Horse-radish.
Sans. Sigru-valkalam, Sobhânjan-valkalam, Sobhânjân-mûlam, Sigru-mûlam, Sobhânjan-pushpam, Sigru-pushpam.
Vern.—Of the flowers— Sajnah-kê-phûl, Sêgvê-kê-phûl, Sahinjan-kê-phûl, Hind. Mungê-kê-phûl, Duk. Murungai-pû, Tam. Munaga-puvvu, Tel. Murinna-pû or Muringa-pû, Malyal Nugge-gida-huvvu, Nugge-havvu, Can. Sôjna-phûl, Sajinaphûl, Guz. Munga-cha-phûla, Mah. Murangâmûl, Cing. Dondalon-pôên, Bur.
Of the bark— Horse-radish bark, Moringa bark, Eng. Sajnah- ki-chhâl, Sêgvê-kî-chhâl, Hind. Mungê-kî-chhâl, Duk. Murungai-pattai, Tam. Munga-patta, Tel. Muringa tôl, Malyal. Nugge-grida-patte, Can. Sôjna-sâl, Beng. Mungâ-cha-patte, Badâdi-shingâ-chapatte, Mah. Maranga-potta, Cing. Dondalon- khav, Bur.
Of the root-bark — Horse-radish root-bark, Moringa root-bark, Eng Sajnuh-kî-jar-kî-chhâl, Sègvê-kî-jar-kî-chhâl, Hind. Mungê- kî-jar-kî-chhâl, Dak. Murangai-vêr-pattai, Tam. Munaga-veru-patta, Tel. Muringa-vèra-tôl, Malyal. Nugge-bêru-patte, Can. Sôjna-mûl-sâl, Beng.
Of the root — Horse-radish root, Moringa-root, Eng. Sahjanâ- kî-jar, Sêgvêe-kî jar, Hind. Munge-kî-jar, Duk. Murangai-vêr, Tam. Munuga-vêru, Tel. Muringa-vêra, Malyal. Nugge-bêru, Nugge gida-bêru, Can. Sojnâ-mûl, Beng. Sajina-jad, Guz. Dondalonmi, Bur,
Habitat. — Forests of Western Himalaya, Oudh, and cultivated elsewhere, throughout India.
A fairly large, pretty tree. Bark 1 in. thick, corky, grey, with longitudinal cracks. Roots pungent, with the taste of horse- radish. Wood-cells large, prominent. Leaves 1-2½ft. long, ​ usually 3-pinnate ; petioles, sheathing at the base ; pinnæ opposite, 4-6 pair ; pinnules opposite, 6-9 pair, the uppermost lfoliolulate ; a hairy gland between each pair of pinnæ and pinnulæ. Ultimate leaflets opposite, 2/5-4/5in. long, obovate or elliptic, entire, membranous, pale beneath. Flowers 1in. diam., strongly honey-scented. Sepals linear-lanceolate, reflexed. Petals ½-¾in. long, linear spathulate, white, with yellow dots near base. Filaments villous at base. Ovary hairy. Capsule 9-20in. long ½-¾in. broad, 3-gonous, linear, pendulous, longitudi- nally ribbed, slightly constricted between the seeds. Seeds 3-cornered, winged at the angles, about lin. long, including the wings.
It is one of most easily propagated trees of the Western peninsula by cuttings. Flowers and fruits in abundance twice or at times, thrice a year.
Use. — The root is described by the Sanskrit writers as acrid, pungent, stimulant and diuretic, and is applied externally as a rubefacient. The seed is said to be stimulant, and is given in ascites arising from enlargement of the liver and spleen.
The root and bark abortifacient. Kanai Lai Dey, quoted by Chevers (I. B. Lyons Medical Jurisprudence). See, K. R. Kirtikar's Poisonous Plants,' Bombay, P. X. Jl. Bombay N. H. Society, Vol IX.
A decoction of the root-bark is recommended to be given with asafœtida and rock salt in inflammation, abscess and calculous affections. The gum of the tree, mixed with sesamum oil, is recommended to be poured into the ears for the relief of otalgia (Dutt).
Mahomedan writers describe the flowers as hot and dry, and consider that they expel cold humours, disperse swellings, act as a tonic and diuretic, and increase the flow of bile. The juice of the root with milk is diuretic, antilithic and digestive, and is useful in asthma. A poultice made with the root reduces swellings, but is very irritating and painful to the skin. The pods have anthelmintic properties.
Ainslie says that the Native doctors prescribe it as a stimulant in paralytic affections and intermittent fever, in doses of ​ about one scruple ; and that they also employ it in epilepsy and hysteria, and consider it a valuable rubefacient in palsy and chronic rheumatism. According to Fleming, the oil of the seeds is used as an external application for rheumatism in Bengal.
In Bombay, a decoction of the root-bark is used as a fomentation to relieve spasm. In the Concan the bark of the wild tree is ground with plumbago root, pigeon's dung and chicken's dung, and applied to destroy guinea-worms. Four tolas of the juice of the leaves of the cultivated tree are given as an emetic. The gum is said to be used to produce abortion ; it would be quite possible to use it as a tent to dilate the os uteri, as it is very tough, and swells rapidly when moistened. The root is accepted by Europeans as a perfect substitute for horse-radish (Dymock) The seeds (called by the French poisqueniques and chicot, are used in venereal affections in Sindh (Murray).
The fruit is administered by Hakeems in affections of the liver and spleen, articular pains, tetanus, paralysis, &c. The root is used for soreness of the mouth and throat ; and the gum for dental caries (Honnigberger).
The fresh root is stimulant, carminative, stomachic and stimulant-diuretic ; and the flowers also possess a slight stimulant property. The bark and root-bark used externally are rubefacient and vesicant.
I have found the root in the form of " compound spirit " very useful in fainting, giddiness, nervous debility, spasmodic affections of the bowels, hysteria and flatulence. The flowers are often resorted to as an aphrodisiac by the Native medical practitioners in Southern India ; but they have completely failed in my hands, though I have tried them in very large doses. They are at most a slight stimulant, but have not been found useful even as such in any particular disease. Applied externally, in the form of a paste, the fresh root-bark and the bark act as a good vesicant and rubefacient. The former is much superior to the latter in this respect (Moodeen Sheriff.)
The seeds yield oil of ben, which formerly had a reputation of being a thin oil suitable for fine machinery. Jamaica seeds consist of 40 per cent, of husks ​ and 60 per cent, of kernels. The oil gave 60 per cent, of liquid oil and 40 per cent, of white solid fat. Seeds from Northern Nigeria contained 33.4 per cent, of oil. Meggitt (1907) obtained 25.65 per cent, of oil in the sweet variety and 22-62 per cent, in the bitter variety.
Lewkowitsch expressed the seed in two stages and obtained a cold pressed and a hot pressed oil. The examination of these two oils gave the following numbers : Specific gravity at 40°, 0.9018, 0.8984 ; acid value, 49.71, 100.5 ; saponification value, 179.5, 178.7 ; unsaponifiable matter, 1.67, 2.69 per cent. ; iodine value, 100.3, 88 ; titer test of fatty acids, 32°, 38.2°.
Ben oil is said to consist of the glycerides of oleic, palmitic and stearic acids and of a solid acid of high melting point, probably arachidic acid. (Agricultural Ledger for 1911-12 No. 5 p. 136).
337. M. Concanensis, Nimmo. h.f.b.i., ii. 45.
This may possibly be the red-flowered species, alluded to by Roxburgh (II 308), as occurring near Maldah (Fl. Br. Ind.).
Vern. : — Mooah (Sind.) ; Sainjnah (Raj. ; Con.).
Habitat : — Rajputana, on dry hills, Sindh and the Concan.
A tree, glabrous except the young parts and the inflorescence. Bark thick, soft, corky. Wood white, soft, Pores large, often sub-divided, enclosed in white rings, scanty. Medullary rays fine, numerous, the distance between them less than the diameter of the pores (Gamble;. Leaves generally bipinnate, very rarely tripinnate, reaching 1½ ft. long. Primary pairs 5-6, distant, 4-8in. long, the primary rhachis thickened at the base as well as the secondary articulation, with a gland at each articulation. Leaflets 4-6 pair, with an odd one, broadly elliptic or sub-orbicular, obtuse at both ends, often refuse at the apex, of variable size, 5/6-1⅓ by ½-1 in., pale beneath, articulated, with a slender petiole 1/12-⅓ in. long ; nerves 4-8 pair, slender, distinct. Flowers in lax divaricate, thinly pubescent panicles, reaching 1½ ft. long, pedicels ⅓-½ in. long, articulated with the flower ; bracts minute, caducous. Flowering time. October to December. Calyx thinly tomentose, about ⅓-½ in. long ; segments white, oblong, reflexed. Petals yellow, veined with red, oblong, or oblong-spathulate, the lower about 5/8 in. long. Stamens 5-fertile and 4-5 stammodes ; filaments hairy at base. Capsule straight, acutely triquetrous, slightly constricted between the seeds 1-1½ ft. long ; valves hard, ½-⅔ in. broad. ​Seeds white or pale yellow, 3-angled, ⅔-¾ in. long, 3-winged. Wings very thin, hyalive.
Use:—The roots, as of M. pterygosperma, have a pungent flavor, and are said to be used as a substitute for horse-radish. (Murray).
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