AYURVEDIC ASPECT OF SHIGRU( MORINGA OLEIFERA)

 

SHIGRU (MORINGA OLEIFERA)

  

Shigru plant

  

Moringa oleifera is additionally referred to as horse radish tree and drumstick tree. This plant belonging to family Moringaceae and it is native to sub-Himalayan tracts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Shigru is popular in developed countries because it’s obtained from natural source and shows less advrerse effects. It is small, fast growing evergreen or deciduous tree. It usually grows up to 10 to 12 m in height.

Different parts of the plants like bark leaves, seeds, flowers, roots, and immature pods contains large number of important phytoconstituents such as terpenoids, alkaloids, tannins, steroidal aglycones and reducing sugars. 

According to Ayurveda Shigru has Katu Tikta Rasa, Katu Vipaka and Ushna Veerya. Due to this properties it is Vata-Kapha nashaka and Rakta-Pitta prakopaka. Various preparations of Moringa oleifera are used for their anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertentisive, diuretic, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-neoplastic, antipyretics, anti-ulcer, cardio-protectant and Hepato-protectant activities. 

Morphology of Shigru

Moringa oleifera tree is a small, fast-growing evergreen or deciduous tree that usually grows up to 10 or 12 m in height. It has a spreading, open crown of drooping, fragile branches, feathery foliage of tripinnate leaves, and thick, corky, whitish Bark.

Distribution:- Shigru is basically native from sub-Himalayan tracts of Northern India, distributed worldwide in the tropics and sub- tropic. Due to its nutritive and medicinal value is now cultivated in all over India and other countries. All Moringa species are native to India from where they have been introduced into many warm countries in Africa, Arabia, Southeast Asia, South America and the pacific and Caribbean Islands.

Habit:- Shigru is small to medium evergreen or deciduous tree that can grow to a height of 10-12m. It shows a spreading open crown, typically umbrella shaped.

Leaf:- The leaves are bipinnate or more commonly tripinnate, up to 45 cm long, and are alternate and spirally arranged on the twings. Pinnae and pinnules are opposite; leaflets are 1.2 to 2.0 cm long and 0.6 to 1.0 cm wide, the lateral leaflets elliptic, the terminal ones obovate; petioles of lateral leaflets are 1.5 to 2.5 mm long, those of terminal ones 3 to 6 mm long, The leaflets are finely hairy, green and almost hairless on the side, paler and hairless beneath, with red tinged midveins, with entire (not toothed) margins, and are rounded or blunt pointed at the apex and short pointed at the bottom. The twings are finely hairy and green, becoming brown.

Leaf of shigru

Leaf base:- Base acute, obtuse or rounded, often oblique, apex obtuse, rounded or emarginated, entire, dull green on both sides, lighter coloured beneath, pinnately nerved, at first shortly grey, pubescent.

Root:- Seedlings develop a swollen, tuberous, white taproot which features a characteristic pungent odor, and really sparse lateral roots. Trees grown from seeds develop a deep, stout taproot with a good spreading system of thick, tuberous lateral roots. Taproots do not develop on trees propagated from cuttings.

Stem:- The bark is whitish-gray, thick, soft, fissured and warty or corky, becoming rough. When wounded, the bark exudes a gum which is initially white in colour but changes to sepia or brown or brownish black on exposure.

Flower:- The flowers of Moringa oleifera are grouped in loose axillary panicle (at the upper axils of the leaves). Bisexual, usually more or less zygomorphic, with a saucer-shaped or shortly tubular, often oblique hypanthium, formed partly by an invaginated receptacle. flowers sweet smelling.

Fruits (Pods):- The fruits are initially light green in colour. Slim and tender, eventually turning dark green and firm. Depending on genotype, they’re up to 120 cm long. While most are straight a few are wavy and some curly.

Seed:- Seeds are surrounded by a lightly wooded shell with three papery wings. Looks creamson white in appearance.

 

             

                        

         

Taxonomy

Kingdom :-  Plantae 

Division :-  Magnoliophyta

Class:-       Magnoliopsida

Order :-     Capparales

Family :-    Moringaceae

Genus :-    Moringa

Species :-  oleifera

Flowering and fruiting time:- Plant flowers from January to March and fruiting in April- June.

Kinds and variety

There are two kinds of Shigru in the classical text of medicine on the bases of flower colour viz. white (Sweta) and red (Rakta) which are bitter and sweet in taste and they are specifically known as Katu Shigru (Moringa oleifera) and Madhu Shigru (moringa concanensis).

Ayurvedic properties 

Rasa - Katu, Tikta

Guna - Laghu, Ruksha, Tikshna

Virya - Ushna

Vipaka - Katu

Dosha - Kapha Vata Shamak

Karma - Svedopaga, Nadyuttejaka, Deepan, Pachana, Rechana, Vidahi, Ghrahi, Shool Prashamana, Hridya Uttejaka, Krimighna, Artavajanana, Vishghna, Swadajanana, Kusthaghna, Jvaraghna, Lekhana, Chakshushy.

Vernacular names 

Latin name - Moringa oleifera

English name - Drumstick, moringa

Hindi name - shigru, shijan, munaga

Tamil name - Munagi

Kannada name- Nugge mara, nugge kayi

Marathi name- Shevga

Malayalam name- Muringa

Gujarati name- saragyo

Punjabi name- surjana

Sanskrit Synonyms

Shobhanjana – Very auspicious tree

Shigru – has strong, piercing qualities

Teekshnagandha – Strong and pungent odor

Aksheeva – relieves intoxication

Mochaka – helps to cure diseases

Classical categorization (in Ayurveda)

Aacharya charak:- 

krimighna, swedopaga, shirovirechanopaga mahakashaya.

Aacharya Sushruta:- varunadi, shirovirechanopaga.

Aacharya vagbhatta :- varunadi kwath

Bhavaprakash nighantu :- guduchyadi varga

Charaka Samhita –

Krimighna – group of herbs that are used to treat worm infestation.

Svedopaga – Ayurvedic plants that are used in Svedana (preparatory procedure for Panchakarma)

Shirovirechanopaga – group of herbs that are used as nasal snuff in Nasya treatment

Katuka Skandha – group of herbs that have pungent taste.

Sushruta and Vagbhata 

 It is categorized in Varunadi Group of herbs which are effective in urinary system. In India, around 20, 000 medicinal plants have been recorded. Moringa oleifera is also one of the plant in human health management. 

Phytochemical constituents 

Different part of the Moringa oleifera tree have been established as being good sources of unique glucosinolates, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, carotenoids, tocopherols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, highly bio-available minerals and folate. Among Glucosinolates, 4-0-(a-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)-benzylglucosinolate (glucomoringin) is the most predominant in the stem, leaves, flowers, pods and seeds of M.oleifera. Although within the roots, benzyl glucosinolate is that the most prominent.

External uses:- A paste of bark and leaves produces burning sensation, is anti-inflammatory and acts on abscesses. It is applied topically on inflammation and abscess. Seed powder is the best shirovirechan nasya, seed powder is administered nasally in headache and heaviness of the head produced by kapha. Seed oil is analgesic hence utilized in rheumatoid arthritis and painful diseases.

Internal uses:-

Nervous system 

 Because it is tikshna and ushna, it is a nerve stimulant. The non crystalline part of the bark is very strong and it acts through afferent nerves of the body. Because of this, it cause hypertention, increases heart rate and contracts the blood vessels. It towers the function of muscles in respiratory as well as gastrointestinal system. Dilatation of pupil occurs similar to the action of adrenaline and ephedrine. 

Tender plant root is beneficial in epilepsy.

Digestive system:- As it is pungent and tikshna, it improves appetite, is digestive, vidahi, grahi, analgesic, antibacterial and deworming agent. Madhu Shigru is viscous and sweet and so it’s purgative. It is useful in 

loss of appetite, tastelessness, pain in abdomen, ascities, gulma and worms.

Circulatory system:-

Due to ushna guna it acts as a stimulant to heart, creates hypertention and is anti-inflammatory. It is useful in weakness of heart and inflammation.

Respiratory system: 

Kaphaghna Useful in kaphaj kasa. Seed powder is useful for shodhan nasya.

Urinary system:

 As it is Ushna, tikshna, it stimulates the kidneys and increases the quantity of urine. It is useful in dysuria. In calculi its decoction is useful. It is not used in hydronephrosis, as it irritates the kidneys and 

increases inflammation.

Reproductive system

It stimulates menstruation and because it is ushna and anti-inflammatory, it’s useful in dysmenorrhoea and obstructed menstruation.

Skin:- Tikshna and ushna, induces sweating. Therefore its hot infusion is employed in skin diseases. If there are maggots in the wound, fresh bark paste is applied and bandaged on the wound. Due to its smell, all maggots begin.

Excess Intake:- As it is ushna, tikshna, it produces raktpitta and burning sensation if taken in excess dose. It is contra-indicated in pitta prakriti and raktpitta. To counteract the effects of excessive intake of shigru, it should always be taken along with milk and ghee. Cow’s milk and ghee are more useful for this purpose.

Aamayika  prayoga

•According to Aacharya Charaka decoction of Shigru useful inShushkarsha(Haemorrhoids) for tub bath. Also in Granthivisarpa, paste of Shigru bark is useful. In Hikka and Shwasa vyadhi (Respiratory disorders) decoction of Shigru leaves give for internal use.

•Acharya Sushruta mentioned application of Shigru oil in Kustha kshata (Leprosy). In Apachi moringa seed powder is used for Nasya.

• Madhu Shigru is very useful in meal, drink and also for external application by Aacharya Vagbhata.

• According to Aacharya Harita Moringa root juice with jaggaery is useful in headache for Nasya.

• If decoction of Shigru given along with Madhu then Krimiroga (Microbial diseases) will be disappear as early.

•In Dadru vyadhi (Skin disoreder) Shigru Mool twak apply a externally.

Pharmacological actions

Pharmacological actions and uses of useful parts

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, stimulant, expectorant, diuretic, emmanagogue.

Root bark – aphrodisiac, alexeteric, anthelmintic, analgesic, biliousness; improves appetite; useful in heart complaints, eye diseases, fever, inflammation,enlargement of spleen, tuberculous gland in neck, tumours and ulcers. The bark removes all kind of pains.

Leaves- removes all kind of excessive pains, fattening, aphrodisiac, anthelmintic, useful in eye diseases, biliousness; 

cure hallucinations, dry tumours, hiccough, asthama.

Flower- anthelmintic, cure inflammations, muscle diseases, tumour, enlargement of spleen.

Fruits- cure kapha, biliousness, pain, leucoderma and tumours.

Seed – alexipharmac; cure eye diseases, head complaints. Oil is useful in leprous ulcers.

AYURVEDIC FORMULATION OF SHIGRU PLANT IN MARKET.

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