Kaiphal

Botanical Name

Myrica esculenta Buch.- Ham. ex D. Don.,

Family

Myricaceae

Synonyms

Myrica sapida Wall.

Regional Name

English : Box Myrtle, Bay Berry, Hindi : Kayphal, Sanskrit : Mahavalkala, Urdu : Kaiphal, Punjabi : Kanphal, Kayphal, Gujrati : Kayphal, Assamese : Ajooree, Vdulbark, Bengali : Kayachhal, Katphal, Kayphal, Kannada : Kadujai, Kai, Katphala, Kirisivari, Kirishivane, Malayalam : Marut, Marathi : Kaayphal, Tamil : Marudam, Marudampatai, Telgu : Kaidaryamu.

Part Used

Stem Bark.

Description

Kaiphal is globally distributed across the Indo-Malesian region. Within India, it is found in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. Kaiphal is a dioecious, evergreen, small or moderate-sized tree, 3-15 m high. Fruits are A drupe, ellipsoid or ovoid, 0.7-1.0 cm long, 0.5-0.7 cm wide, dark brown, surface tubercled, very hard; taste, sourish sweet. Seed are ovoid, 0.6 cm long, 0.3 cm wide, surface very smooth, light brown; taste, oily.

Phytoconstituents

Waxy Material.

Medicinal Uses

It is used in Fever, Cold, Cough, Asthma, Bronchitis as well as other lung diseases. It is used in Leucorrhea, Haemorrhage diseases. It is also used in Wounds and Ulcer.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kasaya, Guna : Laghu, Tiksna, Vipaka : Katu, Virya : Usna, Karma : Kaphavatahara, Rucya, Dahahara, Mukharogasamaka, Dhatuvikarajit.

Ayurvedic Applications

Gulma, Meha, Jvara, Arsa, Grahani, Panduu Roga, Hrallasa, Mukha Roga, Kasa, Svasa.