Nardostachys jatamansi
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N. jatamansi
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| Nardostachys jatamansi |
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Nardostachys jatamansi is a flowering plant of the Valerian family that grows in the Himalayas. It is a source of a type of intensely aromatic amber-colored essential oil, spikenard. The oil has, since ancient times, been used as a perfume, as a medicine and in religious contexts. It is also called spikenard, nard, nardin, or muskroot.
Description
Nardostachys jatamansi is a flowering plant of the honeysuckle family that grows in the eastern Himalayas, primarily in a belt through Kumaon, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan.[2] The plant grows to about 1 m in height and has pink, bell-shaped flowers. It is found in the altitude of about 3000–5000 meters. Rhizomes (underground stems) can be crushed and distilled into an intensely aromatic amber-colored essential oil, which is very thick in consistency. Nard oil is used as a perfume, an incense, a sedative, and an herbal medicine said to fight insomnia, birth difficulties, and other minor ailments.[3]
Phytochemistry
The chemical components of Nardostachys jatamansi have been assayed in a number of different studies. These compounds include:[4]
- acaciin
- ursolie acid
- octacosanol
- kanshone A
- nardosinonediol
- nardosinone
- aristolen-9beta-ol
- oleanolic acid
- beta-sitosterol
Historical use
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Nardostachys jatamansi may have been used as an ingredient in the incense known as spikenard, although lavender has also been suggested as a candidate for the spikenard of classical times.[citation needed]
References
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (US ISBN 0-520-22789-1) pp. 83–88
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External links
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Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Spikenard. |
- Original botanical description by David Don from Prodromus Florae Nepalensis (1825), in Latin (archived by the Biodiversity Heritage Library)
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Contains a detailed monograph on Nardostachys grandiflora, N. jatamansi (Jatamamsi) as well as a discussion of health benefits and usage in clinical practice. Available online at http://www.toddcaldecott.com/index.php/herbs/learning-herbs/354-jatamamsi
- Celtnet Spice Guide information page for spikenard
