Medicinal use of

Harsingar(Night jasmine)
Anupama January 4, 2012

Harsingar flowers (Parijat) are very aromatic and used for making
garlands that are used in puja. Harsingar flowers are white and
orange in colour. The orange coloured corolla tubes are separated
from flower by local people and dried. This is used for dyeing silk
and cotton.

By Navendulad (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Harsingar is also known by many names such as night jasmine,

paarijat. Its botanical name is Nyctanthes arbor-tristis. Parijaat or
Harsingar is small ornamental tree with fragrant white flowers.
The leaves are given for treating chronic fever, rheumatism,
arthritis, joint pain, obstinate sciatica. It is a sacred tree
mentioned in Hindu mythology. Mythology says Bhagwan Shri
Krishna brought this tree from heaven for his beloved wife
Satyabhama. It is one of the five tree that exist in heaven. It is
mentioned as Kalpavriksh or wishing tree, which came out of
ocean during Samudra manthan. It is a divine tree with numerous
medicinal uses.
Scientific classification:
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales Family: Oleaceae Genus: Nyctanthes Species:
arbor-tristis
Botanical name: Nyctanthes arbor-tristis
Sanskrit: Parijata, Shephali, Shephalika, Mandara Hindi:
Harsingar Bengali: Harsingar, Shephalika, Siuli Malayalam:
Parijatakam Marathi: Parijathak Gujarati: Jayaparvati Oriya:
Gangasiuli Kannada: Parijatha Tamil: Parijata, Paghala Siddha:
Pavazha mattigai.
Constituents: The leaves and seeds contain iridoid glycosides.
The other constituents reported from the leaves are mannitol,
beta-amyrin, beta-sitosterol, hentriacontane, benzoic acid,
astragalin, nicotiflorin, oleanolic acid, nyctanthic acid friedelin and
lupeol. The seeds containa polysaccharide glucomannan.

Distribution of Nyctanthes arbor-

tristis or Harsingar
Parijata is native to India. It is distributed widely in sub-Himalayan
regions and southward to Godavari. It is also found in Bangladesh,
Indo-Pak subcontinent and South-East Asia, tropical and sub-
tropical South East Asia. Night jasmine flowers during August to
November and the tree bears fruits in cold season. Parts used for
medicinal purpose: Leaves, flowers, seeds and bark.

Scientifically proven therapeutic

activities
Nyctanthes arbor-tristis or Night jasmine leaves possess anti-
arthritic properties. In addition, decoction of the leaves also
possess liver protecting, anti-viral, anti-fungal, analgesic,
antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, hypotensive and
respiratory stimulant activities. The leaves also has anti-
leishmanial (Acting against Leishmania parasites) activity.
Medicinal Uses of Various Night
jasmine plant parts
In Ayurveda, Parijaat is used for treatment of many ailments. For
medicinal purpose leaves, stem, flowers and seeds are used. The
leaves are given for treating chronic fever, rheumatism, arthritis,
joint pain, obstinate sciatica. For chronic fever, the fresh leaves
juice with honey is administered orally. Leaves decoction or Kadha
is recommended to treat sciatica.

Harsingar leaves
In Ayurveda Parijata leaves are extensively used for treatment of
variety of diseases such as chronic fever, cough, sciatica,
rheumatism, parasitic worms, constipation etc. The leaves juice is
bitter in taste and works as a tonic.

The paste prepared from leaves is useful in fever, high blood

pressure and diabetes.
Leaf juice is given in cough as it has expectorant action.
Leaf juice with honey, three times a day, is useful in
treatment of fever, cough. Fever which occurs at irregular
intervals and is not continuous or steady, the leaves juice in
dose of 10 ml, twice a day for five days is given.
Leaves juice is given with sugar for intestinal ailments.
The decoction or Kadha of leaves is extensively used by
Ayurvedic physicians for the treatment of arthritis, obstinate
sciatica, malaria, intestinal worms and as a tonic, cholagogue
and laxative.

Harsingar Flowers
White-orange aromatic flowers on oral administration tones
stomach, prevents gas formation, astringent to bowel,
prevents excess bile secretion by liver, cures cough.
The corolla tube is bright orange in colour due to nyctanthin,
which is similar to colouring substance of saffron.

Harsingar stem
The powder of stem bark is useful in treatment of rheumatic joint
pain and malaria. In Orissa, stem bark of Parijata is boiled with dry
ginger power and pippali or long pepper. This is taken orally for
two days to cure malaria.

Direction for uses

For sciatica:Take 3-4 leaves and grind them and boil with water
and drain and drink twice in day.
For swelling and pain: Boil leaves in water to make decoction
and drink.
For arthritis: Take leaves, bark, flower about 5 gm and make
decoction with 200 gm of water. Decoction is said to be formed
when water reduces to of initial quantity.
For dry cough: Grind leaves in mortar and pestle to extract juice
and take it with honey.
For intestinal parasites: Grind leaves in mortar and pestle to
extract 2 tbs of juice and take it with misri and water.
For ring worm: Apply paste of leaves on affected area.
For fever: Take 3 gm bark and 2 gm leaves with 2-3 leaves of
tulsi and boil in water and drink 2 times a day.