About Chalmungra Tail
Chalmungra is common name of tree Hydnocarpus kurzii, belonging to family Flacourtiaceae. This tree is native to India, Myanmar and Thailand. In India this tree is mainly found in Assam and Tripura.
The seeds of tree provide an oil which is known as Chalmungra Oil. The ripe seeds contain about 40-45% fixed oil. This oil is extracted by pressing the kernels in hydraulic press. Chalmungra Oil tastes acrid and bitter. It has yellow to brownish colour. It contains chemically esters of unsaturated fatty acids of chaulmogric acid (27%), hydnocarpic acid (48%) and glycerides of palmitic acids.
In Ayurveda, Chalmungra Oil is used for treating leprosy and other skin diseases from time immemorial. The oil is used both internally and externally. This oil was introduced into Western medicine by English doctor Frederic John Mouat in 1854. Mouat acquainted with this oil while he was a professor of medicine at the Bengal Medical College. He tested this oil on leprosy patients and found good results. He dressed the external ulcers of the patients with the oil. Internally, he gave a pill prepared by beating the seeds into a pulp. He reported that the ulcers healed and the patients improved.
Chalmungra is botanically known to the world as Taraktogenos kurzii/ Hydnocarpus kurzii/ Hydnocarpus wightiana/ Hydnocarpus laurifolia,Hydnocarpus oil;Gynocardia oil and its Sanskrit name is Tuvrak, Tuvaraka and Kushtavairi. This tall tree is a limb of the Achariaceae plant family. The essential oil is extracted from the Chalmungra seeds through steam distillation method.
Uses
- Chalmungra Oil has strong bactericidal properties against bacteria of leprosy and tuberculosis due to presence of unsaturated fatty acids.
- In Ayurveda,it has been used for hundreds of year to treat skin diseases, TB, gout and leprosy.
- Ringworm/Tinea corporis (Daad in Hindi)
- Mix Chalmungra Oil (10 ml) in Vaseline (50 g) well. Apply this mix on ringworm.
- Mix Chalmungra Oil in butter and message on affected skin part for treating ringworm.
Leprosy
- For leprosy, this oil is used both internally and externally.
- Initially 10 drops are administered orally in patient to cause vomiting. Then 5-6 drops of oil are mixed with milk or butter and orally administered twice a day. Gradually, over the time the dose is increased up to 60 drops.
- For external use, oil is mixed with Neem oil and applied topically.
Vitiation of blood
- Oral intake of 5 drops of Chalmungra Oil with butter is beneficial.
Itching
- The oil is mixed with Castor oil and applied externally.
Side-effects
- Chalmungra Oil is extremely irritating and bitter.
- This oil is emetic and laxative.
- Oral intake of 3-4 drops of oil can cause nausea and vomiting. The dose is dependent of digestive tolerance.
- The oil should be taken with butter, only after meal.
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