Caesalpinia Crista - Medicinal Plant

LATA KARANJA

Botanical Name— Caesalpinia Crista Linn.

[C. bonduc (L) Roxb.] 

Family- CAESALPINIACEAE

Names in different languages

Hindi Kantakareja; Bengali- Natakani; English- Fever nut; Tamil- Kajichikaya; Malayalam Kajanachikkuru, kazhanji; Kannada- Gajaga kaya; Marathi Sagargota.

Synonyms— Kañtaki Karánja, Kuberãksa, Püti Karanja, Vitapa Karañja, Karañji, Danatha nayanam

Scientific classification: Brazil woods are members of the subfamily Caesalpinioideae, family Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae). The East Indian species is classified as Caesalpinia sappan, Caesalpinia Crista. The tree found by Portuguese explorers is classified as Caesalpinia brasiliensis

Introduction

        Pütika or Atika terms are found in the vedic literature. It is an effective remedy for acute pain abdomen (anti-spasmodic), malarial fever,