Medicinal herbs of Chhattisgarh, India having less known traditional uses. XVIII. Mainphal (Randia dumetorum, family Rubiaceae)

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

Maniphal is a shrub or small tree found in monsoon and dry forests, in general. Its English name is Emetic nut. The leading pharmaceutical companies sell Mainphal based combination in name of Pancha Kashaya, used for causing emesis. In Chhattisgarh, very few traditional healers are aware of its medicinal properties and uses. In tribal belt of Chhattisgarh, it is used as fish poison. Through my ethnobotanical surveys conducted in different parts of Chhattisgarh, I got information that the traditional medicinal knowledge about this herb is limited to very few healers. As these information are not available in documentation form, in present article, I am describing these uses. At first, I am giving information on its botany and reported medicinal uses. According to reference literatures, Mainphal (Randia dumetorum syn. Gardenia spinosa, syn. Xeromphis spinosa syn. Randia spinosa syn. Gardenia dumetorum) is armed shrub or small tree, spines axillary. Leaves mostly fascicled on branchlets, obovate or oblanceolate, sub coriaceous, glabrescent or pubescent, stipules ovate. Flowers solitary or 2-3 fascicles, creamy white, fragrant. Calyx campanulate, Corolla covered with appressed silky hairs. Fruits globose, fleshy. Flowering time May-June and fruiting October-January. As medicine, bark and fruit are used commonly. According to Ayurveda, Mainphal is bitter, sweet, heating, aphrodisiac, emetic, antipyretic, carminative, alexiteric and cures abscesses, ulcers, inflammations, tumours, skin-diseases, piles etc. According to Unani system of medicine, Mainphal is bitter in taste, emetic, purgative, carminative and useful in chronic bronchitis, muscular pains, paralysis, inflammations, leprosy, boils, eruptions etc.

Common names of Mainphal in India.
Languages/Regions	Names
1) Assamese	Gurol, Behmona, Mona
2) Bengali & Hindi	Mainphal, Karhar
3) Gujarati	Mindhal, Mindhola, Midhola
4) Kanarese	Kare, Banegora, Mangari, Minkare
5) Khasia	Diengmakasing-Khlaw
6) Kashmir	Kirkla, Kokoa
7) Malyalam	Kara
8) Marathi	Ghela, Peralu, Mindhal,Wagatta, Gelphal
9) Oriya	Palova
10) Sanskrit	Madana, Pinditak, Dharaphal
11) Tamil	Marukkalankay, Madkarai
12) Telugu	Manga,
13) English	Emetic nut

Botanical differences between major Randia species.
Characteristics	R. uliginosa	R. dumetorum
1) Habit	Armed small tree, spines terminal at the ends of brachyblasts.	Armed shrub or small tree, spines axillary.
2) Leaves	On short branchlets, elliptic-lanceolate or oblanceolate, 7x15 cm.	Mostly fascicled on branchlets, obovate or oblanceolate, sub-coriaceous, glabrescent or pubescent.
3) Flowers	Solitary, white	Solitary or 2-3 fascicles, creamy white, fragrant.
4) Fruits	Oblong-globose, smooth young ones green, mature yellow.	Globose, fleshy
5) Seeds	Blackish
6) Flowering & Fruiting	April-May	May-June and October-January.

To induce vomiting, in order to clean the stomach, the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh use the fruit rind of Mainphal. The rind is collected and dipped in water overnight. Next morning, the leachate is given internally to induce vomiting. After few seconds of intake, the vomiting starts. The natives are also aware of this use but they use it under supervision of the traditional healers. To flush out the intestinal worms, Mainphal is powered and given with Shahad (honey). The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, use the fruit juice externally in hair care. According to them, its regular use makes the hair free from dandruff and lice. The traditional healers of Kondagaon region recommend it in treatment of breast related diseases. It is used externally. The fruits of Mainphal are edible. The natives of Chhattisgarh use this fruit with sugar, before sunrise, internally in treatment of Adhasisi (Migraine). In case of stomach ache as first aid remedy, the aqueous paste of bark is applied around the umbilicus. The traditional healer of Mudpar village use the dry fruit powder in treatment of liver related diseases. He prefers fresh fruit and in case of non-availability dry fruits are used. To treat gastric troubles, the healers of Rajnandgaon region, recommend dry fruit powder with fresh milk internally. The most of the above mentioned uses are of academic importance as other promising and effective alternatives are available, the traditional healers use above mentioned formulation less frequently. Mainphal is present in Chhattisgarh in abundance. This is really surprising that the natives and traditional healers are having very less traditional knowledge about this herb. Mainphal is not in the list of non-wood forest produces having regular demand. I am trying my best to gather more information of its medicinal uses through the ethnobotanical surveys.

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