Description
PONGAMIA PINNATA
The seeds, crushed to paste, are used for leprous sores, skin diseases, and painful rheumatic joints. Seed extracts of Pongamia pinnata have hypotensive effects, and produce uterine contractions.
Pongamia pinnata has been applied as crude drug for the treatment of tumors, piles, skin diseases, and ulcers (Rout et al., 2009, Pavithra et al., 2010). The root is effective for treating gonorrhea, cleaning gums, teeth, and ulcers, and is used in vaginal and skin diseases .
Though the taxon Millettia pinnata was suggested as early as 1988, karanja is still often referred to as Derris indica or Pongamia glabra in the literature.
Oil from the seeds can be used as a liniment for skin diseases and rheumatic illnesses. It is also used to treat stomach aches, dyspepsia and liver disease. Meanwhile, the seed powder is used to help with bronchitis and whooping cough and is also prescribed as a tonic for fevers.
