Malkangani (Celastrus Paniculatus Willd)

Plant Description/ Introduction

Malkangani (Celastrus paniculatus Willd.) belongs to the family “Celastraceae” is a woody climber, a most widely used medicinal herb in Unani Medicare System. It is a large climber, height up to 18m with stem diameter up to 23cm.

Stem of the plant is woody and bark is thin and brown. Branchlets are hairless, with many distinct minute white dots called lenticels. Leaves are simple, alternate, ovate to oblong-elliptic, about 5-15x 2-8 cm; apex acute, acuminate or obtuse; base round, shortly acuminate, margin toothed with rounded teeth, hairless; lateral nerves 5-8 pairs, slender; leaf stalks about 3 cm long.

Flowers of the Malkangani (Celastrus paniculatus Willd.) unisexual in terminal pyramidal panicles, about 6mm across, yellowish or greenish white, collected in terminal paniculate cymes; panicles 5-30cm long, pendulous. Capsules sub-globose, 1.0–1.5 cm in diameter, smooth, yellow when mature, transversely wrinkled, dehiscing by three valves; seeds 3-6, ellipsoid or avoid, about 6x3 mm, yellowish brown enclosed in crimson-red aril.

Flowering period of Malkangani (Celastrus paniculatus Willd.) is from November to February and fruiting is from March onwards.

It is endangered medicinal plant distributed throughout India, mostly in tropical forests and the subtropical Himalayas, ascending up to 1400 m. The genus is distributed in the sub-Himalayan tract from the Jhelum eastward, up to 6000 ft. It is extensively distributed in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Bombay, Orissa, Western Ghats, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Jammu Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

Vernacular Names:

English: Intellect tree, Black oil tree, Staff tree
Urdu: Malkangani
Arabic: Qaifoor, Tilan
Burmese: Myinkongnayoung
Deccan: Malkanguni
Hindi: Jyotishmati, malkakni
Sansikrit: Amruta, Jyotishmati, Jyotishka, swarnlata, pita tel, mati priya, vanhiruchi, katumbhi, maghzsudhi, medhya
Garhwal: Malkauni
Kannada: Kariganne
Telgu: Malaerikata, malkangni
Kumaon: Makagni, malakoni
Marathi: Kanguni
Bengali: Lataphatki
Malyalam: Palulavam
Panjabi: Samphu, Sankhu
Gujrati: Makngana, Malkangani
Tamil: Atiparichcham, valuluwai
Sinhalese: Duhudu

Scientific classification

Kingdome: Plantae
Class: Angiospermae
Order: Celastrales
Family: Celastraceae
Genus: Celastrus
Species: Paniculatus

Parts used (Ajza-e- Musta’mla)

Seeds and its oil and leaves

Temperament (Mizaj)

Temperament of the seeds is hot and dry in 3rd degree

Action and Uses

The survey of classical literature of Unani medicine reveals that, the seeds and its oil have been used as Memory tonic (Muqawwi-e- Haafiza), Neurotonic (Muqawwi-e- A’saab), Aphrodisiac (Muqawwi-e- Bah), Digestive tonic (Muqawwiy-e- Hazm), Muḥarrik-e- Ishtiha (Appetizer), Hazim-e- Ta’ām (Digestive), Kāsir- e- Riyaḥ (Carminative), Appetizer (Mushtahi), Expectorant (Munaffis-e- Balgham), Khafeef Mushil (Mild Laxative), Eye tonic (Muqawwi-e- Chashm), Emmenagogue (Mudirr-e- Haiz), Diaphoretic (Mu’arriq), Thermogenic (Daafe’ Humma), Muqawwi-e- Dimagh (Brain Tonic), Muqawwi-e- Jigar (Liver Tonic), Munaffith-e- Balgham (Expectorant), Muḥallil-e- Waram (Anti- Inflammatory), Musakkin-e- Alam (Analgesic), Mudirr-e- Baul (Diuretic), Muwallid-e- Hararat (Thermogenic), Muqi (Emetic), Mumsik (Retentive), Tiryaaq Samoom-e- Afiyoon (Antidote of Opium Poisoning) etc.

Seeds and oil of Malkangani (Celastrus paniculatus Willd.) are used locally as well as internally to stimulate intellect and appetite (Ishteha), to sharpen memory and to reduce headache (Suda’) and joint pain (arthritis). Specially it is used to cure disorders which are caused by cold humours and nerve or brain origin like, Laqwa (Facial Paralysis), Falij (Hemiplegia), Dard-e- Zanoo (Thigh pain), Sud’a (Headache), Waja’ -al- Ṣadr (Chest Pain), Niqris (Gout), Irq -al- Nisa (Sciatica), Tashannuj (Spasm), Waja’-al- Warik (Hip Pain), Zat-al- Riya (Pneumonia), Zat -al- Janb (Pleurisy), Ḍafi’-Haafiza (Amnesia), Barṣ (Leucoderma), Ḍiq-al- Nafas (Asthma) etc.

Malkangani (Celastrus paniculatus Willd.) seeds and its oil are used for the treatment of Sciatica, Amnesia, Leprosy (Juzaam), Pneumonia, Pleurisy, Anaemia (Su -al-Qiniya), Ascites (Istisqa), Loss of appetite, Flatulence, Sexual weakness, Amenorrhea, Leucoderma and Gout etc.

In various disorders its uses are as follows:

Memory weakness (Zo’f-e- hafiza): One drop of its oil is used daily to increase memory.
Loss in eye vision (Zo’f-e- chashm): One seed is taken daily then gradually increasing it one every day for eight days and after that taken continuously 8 seeds daily, strengthen the eyesight. Its oil is also applied to the soul of hand and feet to increase eyesight
Leprosy (juzam): Its oil is applied locally and also taken orally to cure leprosy.
Spasm (Tashannuj): If spasm occurs in any organ due to cold or collection of gas, takmeed (fomentation) after application of Roghan-e- Malkangni is very useful.
Sexual weakness (Zof-e- bah): Its seeds fried with ghee (Roghan-e- zard) are taken in quantity of one cuff (24 gm) to increase sexual power and the oil of its seeds in quantity of 10 drops is taken daily with betel leaves to treat impotence.
Stomach disorders (Amraz-e- Me’da): For diseases of stomach it is taken orally which strengthens the stomach, increase appetite and digestion.
Premature greying of hairs (Shaib-e- sha’r): Ghee obtained from the milk boiled with its seeds is used orally in quantity of 24 ½ gm - 28gm with Kheer (a diet made with rice and milk) to treat premature greying of hair.
Retention of urine (Ihtibaas-e- bawl): The oil causes diuresis, so it is used with lassi to cure retention of urine.
Litharge: A snuff is taken to cure lethargic condition.
Cold diseases (Amraz-e- barida): In cases of cold diseases like hemiplegia (faalij), facial palsy (laqwa) and spasm (tashannuj), local application of its oil are useful.
Fistula (Nasoor): Its oil is applied in the fistula, which heals it easily.

Doses (Miqdaar-e- Khurak):

Seeds 500mg- 01gm, Leaves juice 20- 40 ml and oil is used in the quantity of 10- 15 drops.

Adverse Effects (Mazarrat): It is harmful in younger age person having a hot temperament in the hot season and hot places. It is contraindicated in pregnancy due to its abortificient property. It also causes headache.

Correctives (Musleh): Due to the 3^rd degree of temperament Malkangani (Celastrus paniculatus Willd.) produces some toxicity and adverse effects. In such conditions cold materials like cow milk and cold regimens are used to correct its toxic or adverse effects.

Substitute (Badal): Sometimes in absence or unavailability of one drug another drug is used as a substitute in Unani system of Medicine, Roghan Qaranful (Clove oil) is used as a good substitute of the Roghan-e- Malkangni.

Compound Formulations:

Various Unani compound formulations are prepared in which Malkangani (Celastrus paniculatus Willd.) is used as an important ingredient such as: