Rudraksha in Ayurvedic medicine

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Rudraksha in Ayurvedic medicine

 

 

Rudraksh is a tree distributed in different parts of India. Its hard tubercled

nuts are made into rosaries and bracelets and are also used in making necklaces

and buttons. There is considerable demand for the beads in India. Owing to

limited occurrence of the species in the country, commercial supplies of these

beads are not available form indigenous sources and the bulk of the requirement

is met by imports from Nepal, Malaya and Indonesia. The rosaries are sold in

India mostly at places of pilgrimage. As Rudraksh herb thrives in warm

localities with a high and well-distributed rainfall, having good drainage. For

the natives and traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, Rudraksh is not a new herb.

 

They are aware of the nuts since time immemorial. In different forests of

Chhattisgarh many Elaeocarpus species have been reported. Seeing its demand, now

many innovative herb growers have started its plantation in Chhattisgarh. They

are getting positive results from initial trials. The traditional healers of

Chhattisgarh suggest the natives to wear the necklaces of Rudraksh in order to

protect themselves from evil spirits. But as it is costly and beyond rich of

common natives, this use is not much popular. In the name of Rudraksh,

adulteration of inferior species is common. The healers informed me that they

have other promising and cheap substitute to Rudraksh necklaces.

 

 

I have given such details in my previous articles. The traditional healers are

not much aware of its other medicinal properties and uses. During my

ethnobotanical surveys in Chhattisgarh plains, I have observed its use in

treatment of common fever.

 

The healers rub the Rudraksh seed with Shahad (Honey) and give it to patients

internally. It is promising remedy in hyper pyrexia. I am giving the details of

its botany and reported medicinal uses, I have noted form the reference

literatures.

 

Botanically, Rudraksh (E. Sphaericus syn. E. ganitrus) is a medium sized

evergreen tree with a spreading hand some crown leaves simple,

oblong-lanceolate, sub-entire or irregularly crenate, decurrent into the

petiole, glabrous, acute or acuminate; Flowers white in dense racemes in old

leaf axills; Fruits globose or some what obovoid purple drupes, stone tubercled,

longitudinally groved, generally 5- celled and 5 - seeded. Rarely seven -

celled.

 

The religious natives consider it lucky. According to Ayurveda, fruits are sour,

appetiser, sedative and useful in treatment of cough, bronchitis, nerve pain,

epilepsy, migraine etc. It is also considered beneficial in treatment of

hypertension. Its use in treatment of high fever is not reported in these

literatures. I am proud to write that the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh

are using it for this purpose. I am trying to find out the fact that how these

healers have discovered this promising use. After successful trials of Rudraksh

plantation in Chhattisgarh, we will try to establish it as potential medicinal

crop. Through the on-going surveys I am trying to gather more information on its

traditional uses in Chhattisgarh

 

Thank you very much for reading the article.

 

From Research Note by Pankaj Oudhia

 

http://www.botanical.com/site/column_poudhia/357_rudraksh.html

 

 

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