Pongamia pinnata (KARANJA)

Karanja is mentioned among the Kandughna (antipruritic) varga by Caraka. Sushruta highlighted the utility of Karanja taila in rimi, Kushtha, Prameha and Siroroga (S.S.Su.45). Sushruta and Vagbhata have described a plant with the name Karanjika which needs correct identity. However Dalhana identified it as Vriksha Karanja or Naktamala.

Controversial Studies– The whole controversy about Karanja is basically due to two names Putikaranja and Ciribilva. According to the author both the names are the synonyms of Puitika or Ciribilva i.e; Holoptelea integrifolia Planch. Therefore the name Kantaka Karanja is more suited for Caesalpinia crista Linn. While Karanja is P. Pinnata (Linn.) Merr. It is important to note that Karanja is mentioned in the Katu skandha and Naktamala in the Tikta skandha. On review several drugs are found described in two groups in Caraka Samhita. Therefore no significance shall be attributed to the synonyms used in I groups in the above context.

Bhavamishra quoted Ciribilva as the synonym of Karanja but he did not use the same synonym for Karanji. Similarly Ghrita Karanja is described with the synonym Pµutika but not with Kantaka Karanja.

Different varieties–We come across the reference about two varieties of Karanja (Karanja Dvaya) in Caraka Samhita (C.S.Ci.15/179) viz., Karanja & Puti Karanja. Bhavamishra quoted three varieties of Karanja viz.,

(1) Kantaka Karanja– Karanja, Naktamala, Karaja, Ciribilvaka

(2) Ghrita Karanja– Prakirya, Putika, PutiKaranja, Somavalka

(3) Karanji– Udakirya, Sadgrandha, Hastivaruni, Markati, Vayasi, Karabhanjika

In Dhanvantari nighantu, Karanja, Udakirya (Karanja visesha) and Angaravallika are described. In Sodhala Nighantu Karanja, Cirabilva and Valli Karanja are mentioned as three varities. In Raja nighantu- Karanja; Ghrita Karanja, Udakirya, Angaravallika, Guccha Karanja and Ritha Karanja are described as six types.

Botanical Description– It is a medium-sized glabrous, tree, ighant upto 18 m. height and 1.5 m. in girth. Leaves- impari-pinnate; leaflets 5-7, elliptic or ovate, 5.1-17.8 cm. long. Flowers- in axillary racemes, fragrant, lilac or white, tinged with pink or violet; peduncle as long as the rachis. Fruits- pods, compressed, woody, glabrous, indehiscent, elliptic to obliquely oblong, 4.0-7.5 cm long and 1.7 3.2 cm. broad. Seeds- 1-2, elliptic or reniform, wrinkled, 1.7-2.0 cm long and 1.2-1.8 cm. broad with reddish-brown leathery testa (Flowers and fruits during May-June).

Distribution– Throughout India upto 1200 m.

Major chemical constituents– Karanjin, pongapin, 3-meth-oxypongapin, pongaglabrone, kanjone, pongol, gamatin, lonchoca-rpin, isolonchocarpin, karanja chromene, porgachromene,  isopon-gaflavone, pongamol, glabrin, ovalitenone, kanugin, cemethoxy-kanugin, pongamin, neoglabrin etc.

Part Used– Root bark, stem bark, leaves, seeds, twigs (as tooth brush), seed oil.

Dosage– Fresh juice 10-20 ml; seed powder 1-3g, bark powder 3.5 g

Research–

(1) The essential oil from leaves showed marked in vitro antibacterial activity against B. anthracis, Ps. Mangiferae, Sal. Typhi, B. mycoides, B. pumilus, Esch. Coli, Sar. Lutea, Stap. Aureus, Staph. Albus etc. (Chaurasia & Jain, 1978).

(2) The oil of P. pinnate showed antibaeterial activity against several organisms (Patel & Trivedi, 1962).

(3) Karanjin showed good antibacterial activity against M. tuberculosis H37 Rv, leading to complete inhibition of the growth of the organism at a concentration of 10 ppm. (Ramaswamy & Sirsi, 1960, 1967).

(4) The essential oil from P. Pinnata showed mild antifungal activity (Jain & Agarwal, 1978).

(5) It showed hypoglycaemic effect in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits (Aiman, 1970).

(6) Kanugin and desmothoxy kanugin isolated from stem bark given in higher doses lead to clonic convulsions in rats (Garg & Khhanna, 1980).

(7) The refined oil (free from toxic flavonoids, bitterness and unpleasant odour) from the seeds when given at 10% level in a 20% protein diet fro 12 weeks in rats showed poor growth performance. Altered lipid metabolism and fatty infiltration in liver (Mandal et al; 1984 b).

(8) In one of the foxicity studies, karanj oil was found to be more toxic, while the other fractions were also found toxic (Chakraborty & Mandal, 1983).