Mountain Ebony: Health Benefits, Therapeutic Uses and Side Effects (Bauhinia Variegata)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Different species of Bauhinia Variegata are known and used as Kanchnar in Indian system of medicine. It is not described in Brihattrayi. Kovidara and Karbudara are mentioned is Samhitas which are now known as Kanchnar. Both these plants are mentioned in vamanopaga mahakasaya of Charak Samhita and Urdhwabhagahar gana of Sushrut Samhita.

Charak has mentioned that both Kovidara and Karbudara flowers are Grahi and Raktapitta shamaka. Sushruta has mentioned that Kovidara flower is sweet in taste and can improve metabolism, cure bleeding disorders, while Karbudara is sweet in taste and can cure vatapittashamaka.

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2. Common Names

• Family – Fabaceae
• Hindi Name – Kachnaar
• English Name – Mountain Ebony

3. Vernacular Names

• Bengali – Kanchana, Rakta Kanchana
• Assamese – Kancan, Kanchan
• Gujarati – Champakati
• Kannada – Keyumandar
• Malayalam – Chuvanna Mandharam
• Marathi – Kanchana
• Tamil – Sigappu
• Telugu – Deva Kanchannam
• Oriya – Kachana

4. Synonyms

• Kanchanar – This plant bears golden yellow-colored flowers.
• Kovidar – It germinates by forcefully piercing through the soil.
• Kundali – Its flowers resemble the shape of kundali and protects from diseases.
• Charmarika – It has smooth and beautiful bark.
• Gandaari - Kanchanara is an effective drug for Gandamala.
• Yugapatraka – The leaves of Kachnara are bifid or cleft in nature.

5. Classical Categorization

• Charak Smahita – Vamanopaga
• Sushrut Samhita – Urdhva Bhaagahara
• Dhanvantari Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga
• Madanpal Nighantu – Abhayadi varga
• Kaiyadev Nighantu – Oshadi varga
• Raj Nighantu – Karviradi varga
• Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga

6. Distribution

Bauhinia Variegata was planted in garden, park, and roadside as ornamental plant in many warm temperate and subtropical regions. It was native to Southeast Asia and grows in tropical and subtropical climate. In India, it is distributed in sub-Himalayas, and outer Himalayas of the Punjab and Sikkim states. It is also found in Burma and China and tropical countries, including Africa and South America.

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7. Morphology

It is a medium-sized deciduous tree reaching up to 15 m in height.

Bark – Greyish-brown with several vertical cracks, sometimes with silvery patches, rough, compact, exfoliating in woody strips and scales.

Leaves – Simple, alternate, 6 to 15 cm across, bifid, cleft one-fourth to one-third way down, broadly ovate, cordate at the base, entire margin, apex obtuse, pubescent beneath when young, subcoriaceous, 10 to 12 nerved, petiole 2 to 4 cm long.

Flowers – Bisexual, large, fragrant, white or pink, uppermost petal darker and variegated, usually appears before the leaves or appear on leafless branches in short axillary or terminal racemes. Calyx 2 to 2.7 cm long, pubescent, and toothed at apex while petals are 4 to 5 cm long, ovate-obovate, the uppermost darker with purple veins. The light green hairy calyx forms a pointed five-angled bud and splits open on one side.

Fruits – Flat, hard, glabrous, self-dehiscent pods of 15 to 30 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide, unripe fruit is green in color and it becomes after ripening.

Seeds – Each pods contains 10 to 15 seeds. Seeds are flat, round and brown in color.

8. Types

Two types of Bauhinia Variegata have been described in Bhavprakash Nighantu: Kanchnar and Kovidar. In Nighantu Ratnakar, three types of Bauhinia Variegata have described according to the color of the flower, viz. yellow, red and white varieties of Bauhinia Variegata. All varieties have similar properties.

9. Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa (Taste): It has Kasaya (astringent) taste.

Virya (Potency): It is Sheeta in nature (cold).

Vipaka (Post-digestive taste): It is Katu (pungent) taste.

Guna (Qualities) – Laghu, Ruksha

10. Chemical Constituent

The main constituent of Mountain Ebony are as follows:

Root – Flavonol glycosides, galactopyranoside, new flavonone, and oxepin.

Stem Bark – Lupeol and beta-sitosterol, rutoside, myricetol glycoside, and kaempferol glycosides.

Flowers – Quercitroside, isoquercitroside rutoside, taxifoline rhamnoside and myricetol glycoside.

Leaves – Lupeol, alkaloids, fat, glycoside, phenolics, lignin, saponins, terpenoids, tannins, vitamin C, protein, carbohydrates, calcium and phosphorus.

Seeds – Protein, fatty oil containing oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid.

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11. Identity, Purity, and Strength

• Foreign Matter – Not more than 2%
• Total Ash – Not more than 11%
• Acid-insoluble ash – Not more than 0.2%
• Alcohol-soluble extractive – Not less than 2%
• Water-soluble extractive – Not less than 6%

(Source: The Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India 1989)

12. Ayurvedic and Pharmacological Actions

Ayurvedic Action

This plant possesses properties such as astringent, wound healing, antileprotic, anthelmintic, appetizer, urinary astringent, swelling reducing, hemostatic, antitussive as per various classical texts and Nighantus of Ayurveda.

• Doshakarma – Kapha Pittashamaka
• Dhatukarma – Raktastambhak
• Malakarma - Sangrahi

Pharmacological Action

It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiobesity, hepatoprotective, antiulcer, wound healing and hematinic.

13. Health Benefits

As per Ayurveda, it is used in worm infestation, leprosy, skin disease, scrofula, goiter, wound, bleeding disorders, cough, dysuria, diarrhea, dysentery, diabetes and obesity. Plant is also useful in the treatment of edema, ulcers, eye disease, piles, hemorrhoids, and it is an antidote to snake bite. Flowers of Bauhinia Variegata are used in raktapitta and arsha.

14. Therapeutic Uses

Mouth Ulcers – Use Bauhinia Variegata bark decoction as a mouthwash as well as gargle with it frequently in mouth ulcers, pyorrhea and bad breath.

Bleeding Disorders – Flowers of Kovidar, Kaashmarya, and Shalmali should be used as vegetable in raktapitta. Powder of flowers of Kovidar, Khadir, Priyangu, and Shalmali is given in raktapitta. Sushruta has also suggested the use of powder of Madhuka, Shobhanjan, Kovidara and Priyangu for curing bleeding disorders.

Hemorrhoids – Powder of root bark of Bauhinia Variegata along with butter milk with suitable diet is also a good remedy to cure hemorrhoids.

Lymphadenitis – The fresh bark of Mountain Ebony with ginger is pounded with sour gruel.

Hyperthyroidism – Daily intake of 40ml bark decoction of Mountain Ebony twice a day helps in reducing the elevated levels of thyroid hormone and regulates its functioning, Mountain Ebony guggulu two tablets twice a day can also be used.

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15. Official Part Used

Root, Stem bark, Flower, Flower buds, Gum, Leaf and Fruits.

16. Doses

• Bark Powder - 3 to 6 gm
• Decoction – 40 to 80 ml
• Flower Juice – 10 to 20 ml

17. Formulations

Kanchnar Guggulu, Kanchan gutika, Gandamala Kundan rasa, Gulkand Kanchnar and Kanchanaradi Kwatha, Chandanasava, Vidangarishta, Kanchnar drava, Kanchanr Varuna Kwatha.