MOUNTAIN EBONY: A MULTIPURPOSE TREE

 

Flower and floral buds on a leafless branch

Mountain ebony, one of the most beautiful trees when in flowering, is a native to the Indian subcontinent and China. However, it has been introduced in other parts of the world as well due to its usefulness in several ways. Also known as the orchid tree or camel’s foot tree, it is widely known as Kachnar in most parts of India. Botanically, it is known as Bauhinia variegata (generic name derived from the names of Swiss botanists Jean and Gaspard Bauhin brothers; the specific name refers to the variegation of the flowers) and belongs to the family Fabaceae (Leguminosae). In India, it is reported to occur throughout the country except in high-altitude areas in the Northwest Himalaya.

Indian Names (Source: Names of Plants in India)

• Assamese: kanchan  • Bengali: raktakanchan  • Gujarati: kanchnar  • Hindi: kachnal, kachnar  • H.P.: Karyaal • Kannada:  kanchanaara, kanchuvaala, kempu mandaara   •Malayalam: konnu, kovidaram, mandaram, unnu   • Manipuri: chingthrao  • Marathi: kanchan, kanchnar, kovidar,  raktakanchan  • Nepali:  koiralo   • Oriya: jugapatra,  karaka, kobidara, raktakanchana, sata kumbha, swalpa kesari, tamra pushpa  • Pali: kovilara  • Punjabi: kachnal,  kachnar  • Sanskrit: kanchanar,  asphota, atimuktak,  gandari,  kanakantaka,  kanakaraka,  kanchanak, mahapuspa, murva, simhasya, suvarnara, vidal, yugapattar, • Tamil: cemmantarai, civappu-mantarai, malai-y-atti, periya-v-atti, peru-mantarai, varai-y-atti, vataraci  • Telugu: kanchanamu  • Urdu: kachnar

Plant Morphology

Mountain ebony is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree growing to a height of up to 12 m. The leaves are obcordate (camel foot shaped), rounded, and bilobed at the base and tip and measure 10–20 cm in size. Flowers are light or deep pink in colour and measure 8–12 cm in diameter. They have five petals and five fertile stamens. Fruit is a pod that measures up to 30 cm long and 3 cm broad. It contains 10-15 seeds in each pod. When fully ripe and dry, the seedpod starts to twist into a helix or corkscrew shape before finally exploding open with a sound to disperse the seeds.

Beautiful spring bloom

Chemical Constituents

Mostly, flowers, stem and root bark is used a medicine. Flowers contain malvidin-3-diglucoside, cynidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3-diglucoside, malvidin-3-glucoside, quercitroside, rutoside, isoquercitroside, taxifoline rhamnoside, kaempferol-3-glucoside, myricetrol, octadecanoic acid, apigenin, tannins, etc. The stem bark contains lupeol, kaempferol-3-glucoside, β-isosterol, rhamnopyrosyl-β-D glycopyranoside, stigmasterol, octacosanol, etc. Root bark contains flavanones, dihydrodibenzoxepin, and some other phytochemicals.

USES

 I. EDIBLE USES

Cooked floral buds 

1. Flower buds are cooked as a vegetable. They can also be pickled for later use.

2.   Petals can be used in pakoras, raita and curries.

3.   Tender leaves can be cooked as Saag.

Kachnar Pakodas

(Photograph courtesy: Dr. O.P. Sharma 'Vidyarthi' ji)

 

Mountain ebony pickle

II. MEDICINAL USES

1.  Anti-inflammatory Activity: Mountain ebony is reported to show anti-inflammatory activity and reduces edema.

2.    Hypolipidemic Activity:  The extract of the bark is reported to decrease lipid levels in a rat model.

3.    Anti-diabetic Properties: Mountain ebony is reported to regulate insulin levels in animal models.
4.    Remedy for Hair-Fall: Extract of mountain ebony plant is reported to be useful in controlling hair fall.

Mountain ebony hair serum

5.    Antioxidant: Different scientific studies have shown that different phytochemicals present in mountain ebony make it a potent antioxidant plant.

Cleaned and dried stem bark

6.    Immunomodulatory Activity: Immunomodulatory activity of mountain ebony on the primary and secondary antibody response has been reported.

7.    Anti-Tumour Activity: The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the bark have shown antitumor activity in animal models. 

8.    Anti-ulcer Activity: Scientific studies using bark extract on rat models have shown anti-ulcer activity. It decreased the acidity and volume of gastric secretion.

9.    Anti-microbial Agent: Leaf extract is shown to inhibit the growth of Pseudomonas spp., E. coli and Klebsiella pneumonia.

10.    Anti-Carcinogenic Properties: The methanolic extract of the stem bark is reported to exhibit anticarcinogenic activity in the mice model. 

11. Increases Haemoglobin: The aqueous and ethanolic extract of the stem bark is reported to increase the haemoglobin content in rats.

 

Mountain ebony bark tea

III. Ornamental Uses

Mountain ebony can be grown as an avenue tree due to its beautiful flowers.

 

Beautiful flowers

IV. As a Fodder

The leaves of this tree are used as fodder for milch cattle.

V. As a Timbre Wood

The wood, which is reddish in colour, can be used for making furniture and other household articles.

A single flower showing its different components

AYURVEDIC PRODUCTS

Kanchnar Gugglu, Pilex, etc.

TOXICITY

There is no scientific report available on the toxicity associated with mountain ebony. Its products have been used by the communities for ages. However, consult a registered medical practitioner before using herbal products.