Chironji tree is commercially very useful. It bears edible fruits. The ripe fruits are sweet, nutritious, laxative and useful in the fever and excessive thirst. The seed which is present in the fruit is deshelled to get the kernel. The kernel is called Chironji nuts. They are small, brownish and have nutty taste. The kernel contain about 52% oil, which is used as substitute for olive and almond oils. This oil is useful in treating diseases of the skin. An adhesive is also obtained from the tree and available as Chironji ki Gond.
Chironji tree is also used for medicinal purpose. Its leaves, bark and seeds are used to treat numerous ailments. The leaves are cooling, digestive, reduces phlegm, cleanses bowel, aphrodisiac and causes sweating. The leaves are used in the treatment of cold, cough, bronchitis, gas, constipation, seminal weakness, skin diseases and burning sensation in the body due to heat. The gum of the tree is useful in loose motions. The seeds intake gives strength. The kernel is applied topically on skin diseases to cure itching, spots and blemishes on the face. The kernel oil is applied on glandular swellings on neck. The seeds are tonic and expectorant.
Scientific Classification
The botanical name of Chironji is Buchanania lanzan Spreng. and it belongs to the family Anacardiaceae. The synonyms of species are B. latifolia Roxb. and Chironjia sapida. Its taxonomic classification is as given below:-
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Order | Sapindales |
| Family | Anacardiaceae (Cashew family) |
| Genus | Buchanania |
| Species | Buchanania lanzan |
Description
Evergreen, moderate sized tree, with straight, cylindrical trunk, up to 10-15 m height and tomentose branches. Leaves are thickly coriaceous, broadly oblong with a rounded base. Flower small, greenish-white in color. Flowering starts in the month of November.
Seeds: Seed laterally much compressed, creamish-brown, mottled with darker brown lines, 0.4-0.6 cm long, 0.3-0.5 cm wide, occasionally separate cotyledons also occur, funicle stout, micropyle superior, linear, hilum present at the apex of round edge; slight pressure separates oily cotyledons; odour, pleasant; taste, sweetish-oily.
Bark: Bark occurs in 3 to 11 cm long, and about 1.0 cm thick pieces; external surface greyish-brown, rough due to formation of fissures; internal surface reddish-brown and fibrous; recurved, flat or more or less channelled; fracture, fibrous.
Distribution: dry forests of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Varanasi and Mirzapur districts of Uttar Pradesh.
Vernacular names
| Ayurvedic | Priyala, Piyala, Kharskandha, Tapaseshtha, Sannakadru Dhanushpat, Char, Bhaulavalkala |
| Bengali | Chirangi, Chowl, Satdhan |
| English | Almondette tree, Cheronjee, Buchanan’s Mango |
| Gujarati | Charal, Shalichokha |
| Hindi | Piyal, Piyar, Chiraungi |
| Kannada | Nurlaal |
| Malayalam | Mural, Priyalam, Mural maram |
| Marathi | Charoli |
| Tamil | Muolaima, Korka, Saraparuppu |
| Telugu | Sara, Sarapappu |
| Urdu | Chironji (seeds), Habb-us-Samena |
Ayurvedic Properties and Action on body
Chironji tree is known as Priyal in Ayurveda. For the medicinal purpose all parts of this tree are used in Ayurveda.
The Seeds: The main constituent of seeds are Albuminoids, Oil and Starch. The seeds oral intake increases strength. It is good for the heart. Seeds reduces kapha/phlegm inside the body. They also decreases vata and pitta.
| Rasa (Taste) | Madhura/Sweet |
| Guna (Characteristics) | Guru/Heavy, Sara, Snigdha/Unctuous |
| Virya (Potency) | Sheet/ Cool |
| Vipaka (Post Digestive Effect) | Madhura/Sweet |
The two important formulations which contains Chironji seeds as an ingredient are Puga khand and Priyal Tail.
For therapeutic use, the recommended dosage in Ayurveda is 10gm-20 gm.
The Stem Bark: The main constituent of bark are Alkaloids, Tannins, Saponins, reducing Sugars, Triterpenoids and Flavonoids.
| Rasa (Taste) | Madhura/Sweet |
| Guna (Characteristics) | Guru/Heavy, Sara, Snigdha/Unctuous |
| Virya (Potency) | Sheet/ Cool |
| Vipaka (Post Digestive Effect) | Madhura/Sweet |
The two important formulations which contains Priyal bark as an ingredient are Ashok Ghrita and Nyagrodhadi churna.
The bark of the tree is used to treat fever, bleeding disorders, excessive thirst and bloody dysentery.
For therapeutic use, the recommended, dosage of bark in Ayurveda is 5-10 grams.
Medicinal uses of Chironji
Its leaves contain tannins, triterpenoids, saponins, flavonoids and reducing sugars. They are used as cardiotonic.
The gum of the tree is useful in diarrhea and rheumatism.
The roots are acrid, astringent, cooling, depurative and constipating and are useful in the treatment of diarrhea.
The oil extracted from kernels is known as ‘char’ and used for curing skin diseases and removing spots/blemishes from the face. This oil contains palmitic and oleic acids. It is applied to glandular swellings of the neck.
Chironji nuts contains 3.0% moisture and are rich in lipid/fat (59.0%), protein (19.0–21.6%), starch/carbohydrate (12.1%), fibre (3.8%), minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins like thiamine, ascorbic acid/vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin.
Chironji nuts are used as a brain tonic. They are good for the skin due to their richness in fat, vitamins and minerals. These nuts are antioxidants and improves body immunity to fight infections.
Chironji nuts are used in preparation of many sweet preparations such as halwa, kheer, laddu, paak, etc. They are also used as dry fruit in preparation of sweets.
Home Remedies using Chironji nuts
- Glowing skin, removing blemishes
- Chironji face-pack: Chironji face pack is useful in making facial skin soft, smooth, and glowing. For making this face pack, ground the nuts adding some gulab jal. The consistency of paste should not very thin. Apply this paste on the face till it dries and then remove the pack. Apply this pack daily for one week.
- Chironji-orange peel powder face pack: Ground Chironji and orange peel powder adding some milk. Apply on the face till it pack dries. Then wash with plain water.
- Sheet-pitt/urticarial/chapaki
- For Shitpitta, take 20grams Chironji and chew very well. This will gives relief in itching and burning sensation in the body.
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