Sw.
Family: Caesalpiniaceae.
Habitat: Cultivated in gardens throughout India.
English: Barbados Pride, Peacock Flower.
Ayurvedic: Padangam, Ratnagandhi, Krishnachuudaa.
Siddha/Tamil: Mayirkonrai, Nalal.
Folk: Guleturaa, Sankeshwara.
Action: Leaves—laxative, antipyretic. Used in Eastern India as a substitute for senna. Dried and powdered leaves are used in erysipelas. Flowers—anthelmintic. Also used for cough and catarrh. Root—a decoction is prescribed in intermittent fevers. Bark— emmenagogue, abortifacient.
The plant contains a flavonoid, my- ricitroside. The leaves, flowers and fruits contain tannins, gums, resin, benzoic acid. Presence of cyanidin- 3,5-diglucoside is also reported from the flowers, hydrocyanic acid from the leaves. The root contains caesalpin type diterpenoids along with sitosterol.The leaves have displayed anticancer activity in laboratory animals. A diter- penoid, isolated from the root, also showed anticancer activity.In Pakistan, the leaf and flower extract exhibited activity against Grampositive bacteria.
(L.) Roxb. Dandy & Exell.
Synonym: C. bonducella Flem. C. crista Linn.
Family: Caesalpiniaceae.
Habitat: Throughout the hotter parts of India. Common in West Bengal and South India. Often grown as hedge plant.
English: Fever Nut, Bonduc Nut, Nikkar Nut.
Ayurvedic: Puutikaranja, Lataa- karanja, Kantaki Karanja, Karanjin, Kuberaakshi (seed).
Unani: Karanjwaa.
Siddha/Tamil: Kazharchikkaai.
Action: Seed—antiperiodic, antirheumatic. Roasted and used as an antidiabetic preparation. Leaf, bark and seed—febrifuge. Leaf and bark—emmenagogue, anthelmintic. Root—diuretic, anticalculous.
The seeds contain an alkaloid cae- salpinine; bitter principles such as bon- ducin; saponins; fixed oil.The seed powder, dissolved in water, showed hypoglycaemic activity in alloxanized hyperglycaemic rabbits. Aqueous extract of the seeds produced similar effects in rats. The powder forms a household remedy for treatment of diabetes in Nicobar Islands. In Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, roots are used in intermittent fevers and diabetes.In homoeopathy, the plant is considered an excellent remedy for chronic fever.(Three plant species—Pongamia pinnata Pierre, Holoptelea integrifo- lia (Roxb.) Planch. and Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb. are being used as varieties of Karanja (because flowers impart colour to water). P. pinnata is a tree and is equated with Karanja, Naktamaala and Udakirya; H. integri- folia, also a tree, with Chirabilva, Puti- ka (bad smell) and Prakiryaa; and C. bonduc, a shrub, with Kantaki Karanja or Lataa Karanja.)
Dosage: Seed kernel—1-3 g powder. (CCRAS.)... caesalpinia bonduc
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