Jatamansi

Botanical Name

Nardostachys jatamansi (D.Don) DC

Family

Valerianaceae.

Synonyms

Nardostachys chinensis Batalin, Nardostachys grandiflora DC., Patrinia jatamansi D.Don

Regional Name

English : Nardus root, Hindi : Balchara, Urdu : Sumbul-ut-teeb, Sanskrit : Mamsi, Jaa, Jaila, Punjabi : Billilotan, Balchhar, Chharguddi, Gujrati : Baalchad, Kalichad, Assamese : Jatamansi, Jatamangshi, Bengali : Jatamamsi, Kannada : Bhootajata, Ganagila maste, Kashmiri : Bhutijata, Malayalam : Manchi, Jatamanchi, Marathi : Jatamansi, Oriya : Jatamansi, Tamil : Jatamanji, Telugu : Jatamams.

Part Used

Root/ Rhizome.

Description

Jatamansi is an important medicinal plant of India, also occurring in Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and southwest China. In India, it is found in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh at an altitude of 3000-5000 m on the sub-alpine Himalayan tracts. Jatamansi is an erect perennial herb, grows 10-60 cm high. Dried rhizome dark brown, 2.5-7.5 cm long, cylindrical, covered with reddish-brown fibers forming a network, which are skeletons of sheathing leaf bases, fracture, brittle, internal color reddish-brown, color, strongly aromatic, taste, acrid, slightly bitter.  Phytoconstituents Jatamansi chemical constituents are essential oil and resinous matter. The essential oil contains - Actinidine, Carotene, Aristolens; Clarence, carnal, elemol, , Droaristolene, B-eudesmol; Jatamols; A&B; Jatamansic acid, Jatamansone, Nardol, Nardostachonol, Nardostachone, Patchouli, Virolin, Angelivin, Jatamansin, Jatamansinol, Oroselol, etc

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Tikta, Kasaya, Guna : Laghu, Vipaka : Katu, Virya : Sita, Karma : Medhya, Tridosanut, Varnya, Nidrajanana, Kushaghna.

Ayurvedic Applications

Daha, Kustha, Visarpa, Manasaroga, Anidra.

Medicinal Uses

It is used to improves brain functions,  improves strength and immunity, useful in herpes and skin diseases, useful in psychiatric conditions. It is used to purify the blood, skin diseases, headache, and depression.