Botanical Name: Daucus carota Linn. var. sativa DC.
Family: Umbelliferae; Apiaceae
Introduction:
Latin name: Daucas = Latin name: carota = old generic narhe. English name: Carrot.
The carrot belongs to the family Apiaceae (formerly Umbelliferae). It is classified as Daucus carota. The cultivated variety is classified as Daucus carota variety sativa.
Carrot, common name for a plant native to Eurasia and northern Africa and widely distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone; the name is also applied to the root of this plant. The wild variety, popularly known as Queen Anne's lace, has a tough, woody root, unsuitable for food. The cultivated variety is the popular table vegetable. It is a biennial. During the first season of its growth it forms a rosette of finely divided leaves and stores a surplus of food in its root, which thus becomes large and fleshy. First-season carrots are harvested for food. If left in the ground for a second season, a terminal bud in the center lengthens, at the expense of the food stored in the root, into a bristly branched stem 90 to 152 cm (36 to 60 in) high. This stem bears a nestlike umbel of white or pinkish flowers, the central flower of each umbelet often being purple. The fruit consists of two one-seeded nutlets, each of which has four rows of radiating spines, which cause the ripe seeds to cling to animals and thus to be dispersed to new locations.
Names in different Indian languages
English |
Carrot, bee’s nest, bird’s nest, dauke |
Hindi |
Gajar, gajra |
Kannada |
Gajjari |
Malayalam |
Karattu |
Sanskrit |
Garjarah |
Tamil |
Gajjarakkilangu, mancalmullanki |
Telugu |
Gajjaragadda |
Unani |
Gaajar |
Folk |
Synonyms
Gaajara, Garjara, Granjana
Classification according to Charaka, Susrutha & Vagbhata
Charaka |
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Susrutha |
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Vagbhata |
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Varieties & adulterants - (CV – controversy, AD – adulterants)
Morphology
It is a shrub of about 1 meter. height.
Leaves- 5 to 8 cm long and have cilia on them, flowers - white in colour. Fruits - small, white in colour and resemble the fruits of fennel.
Roots - red in colour and tapering towards the end like cow’s tail. It is an eatable.
Distribution & Habitat
Cultivated
Chemical constituents:
The root contains carotene, glucose, starch, pectin, malic acid, lignine, salt, albumin, terpine and a high quantity of iron. The seeds contain a yellow coloured and strong odoured oil.
Properties:
Guna: laghu, tikshna, snigdha;
Rasa: madhur, tikta;
Virya: ushna;
Vipaka:katu
Dosha : tridoshashamak
Karma -
Grahi, vidahi, deepana, pachana, hridya
carminative, digestive, astingent,bitter, aphrodisiac, decreases lipid cholesterol level, blood purifier, antipyretic, maintains health of retina, skin
Srotogamitva:
Dosha: Pitta (shodhan), kaphagbna.
Dhatu: Rakta (cholagogue).
Mala: Purisha (bhedan).
Organs: Liver, intestine.
Indication:
Arsas, raktapitta, daha, krimi, adhmanam
ulcers, wounds, fever, skin disease, cough, piles, leucorrhoea, mouth ulcers, vision problems
Part used:
Root
Dosage:
Used as vegetable
uses:
The seeds are applied in inflammation. Its powder is applied on fresh wounds. A preparation (pak) made from its roots is useful in weakness of the brain and nerves. Garjaram is appetizer, unctuous. carminative and astringent. Because of this properties. it is used in anorexia, flatulence, chronic dysentery, haemorrhoids, ascetic and other diseases caused by disorders of digestion.
Descriptions on Ayurveda books / Nighandu: