Nagkesar Herb Information

Latin name : Mesua ferrea

English/Common name : Mesua ferrea

Indian name : Nag Kesar

Part used : Berries or flower buds

Family : Guttiferae

Habitat : Common on the eastern Himalayas, east Bengal and Assam, Burma and Andemanns. It is cultivated in gardens.

Constituents: seeds contain a fixed oil and hard pericarp contains tannin.
 

Description :

The natural order nomenclature is derived from Guttens which means marked with spots of different colour.It is a medium sized tree with evergreen leaves,brown bark and oblong fruits that contain 1 to 4 seeds.The most important part with medicinal value for excessive uterine bleeding are the reddish yellos stamens which are fragrant.
Action and uses

Dried Blossoms are bitter Aromatic, astringent, acrid and purgative also stimulant and carminative. Tonic for heart, expels wind, antispasmodic, Diuretic, Emmenagogue. These are also useful thirst, irritability of the stomach, excessive perspiration, cough with much expectoration, dyspepsia etc. The plant has been widely used in India.

The natural order nomenclature is derived from Guttens which means marked with spots of different colour. It is a medium sized tree with evergreen leaves, brown bark and oblong fruits that contain 1 to 4 seeds. The most important part with medicinal value for excessive uterine bleeding are the reddish yellos stamens which are fragrant.

Characteristics and Constituents : Xanthones, a number of 4-phenylcoumarin derivatives, friedelin and triterpenes have been isolated from the plant. Xanthones are isolated from the heartwood, coumarin derivatives from the seeds and canophylial, canophyliol and canophyllic acid from the leaves. Recently, a tetraoxygenated xanthone was isolated from the heartwood and the bark of the plant. Fatty acid composition of the seed oil has also been studied using several methods.

Actions and Uses : The essential oil has antimicrobial and anthelmintic activity. Others have shown anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activity. Recently it has been shown that calophyllolide is effective in reducing the increased capillary permeability induced in mice by iiistamine, 5-HT and bradykinin. Main use of stamen has been described for controlling bleeding in menorrhagia and piles. In a study of, the plant to assess its putative sex-steroidal activity, no oestrogenic or progestational activity was found. Its use in menorrhagia may he due to its action on capillaries. Oil is used to treat skin diseases and its local application is also recommended in rheumatism.

In a study By Meherjietal, the seed powder was used in a dose of three times a day for a period of 1 to 2 months. No untoward side effects were noticed in women. The plant has been widely used in India.

Plant Parts Used : Stamens, Seed oil