Sagargota
Sagargota (Yellow Nicker) is a large, thorny, straggling, shrub which behaves like a strong woody climber, taking support of trees. The branches are armed with hooks and straight hard yellow prickles. Leaves are large, double compound, with 7 pairs of pinnae, and each with 3-8 pairs of leaflets with 1-2 small recurved prickles between them on the underside. Flowers are yellow, in dense long-stalked racemes at the top. Fruits are inflated pods, covered with wiry prickles. Seeds are 1-2 per pod, oblong or globular, hard, grey with a smooth shiny surface. The hard and shiny seeds are green, turning grey.They are used for jewellery.
Its Botanical name is Caesalpinia bonducella which belongs to family Caesalpiniaceae (Gulmohar family). It’s Sanskrit Names are Kuberakshi, Latakaranj & Kantaki Karanja while in English it is known as Fever nut. In Hindi it got fame by the names Katkaranj, Naktamala, Karanjo, Gajga & Gachka.
Properties –
Sagargota is pungent, bitter and astringent in taste, pungent in the post digestive effect and has hot potency. It alleviates kapha and vata doshas.
Used Part –
Sagargota root, seeds & leaves can be used for medicinal purposes.
Dosage –
Seeds – 3 to 4 g powder of dried seeds
Benefits –
• The herb is used both, internally as well as externally, externally, the paste of its leaves applied, serves to relieve the pain and edema. The massage with its seed-oil particularly helps in rheumatic disorders and arthritis.
• The wounds and ulcers should be dressed with the paste of its seed mashed in water.
• On traumatic swellings, the lukewarm paste of the leaves of latakaranja, arka and errand is applied with benefit.
• In abdominal flatulence, the paste of its seeds mashed in water, eases the problem.
• On testicular swelling due to hydrocele, the thick paste of its seed is applied. It also works well in traumatic swelling of the testes.
• Sagargota is the best panacea for abdominal pain due to flatulence, as it effectively alleviates the vata dosha.
• The powder of its roasted seeds with ghee mitigates the condition and relieves the pain.
• During postpartum period, the abdominal pain is eliminated with the roasted seed powder, asafetida, ghee and little amount of salt.
• The seeds powder, given with milk, controls the diarrhea. The skin of the seed being astringent is beneficial as a medicament for diarrhea, dysentery and colitis.
• Sagargota is the best medication for malarial fever. The combination of its roasted seeds powder, pippali (1:1) is given with honey, approximately 0.5 gm., three times a day for 3-4 days duration.
• The seeds are stimulant to the uterus, improve the menstrual discharge in oligomenorrhea and reduce the pain in lower abdominal region. The skin of the seed is extremely beneficial in the treatment of leucorrhea.
Contraindication –
This herb is not recommended during pregnancy or lactation.
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