Night Jasmine / Coral Jasmine / Tree of Sorrow

HERBAL GARDEN

Vivek college of Ayurvedic Sciences & Hospital Bijnor UP

हरसिंगार

Classification

Synoyms

Parijat (Sanskrit)
Shefali (Bengali)
Night-flowering Jasmine
Hengrabubar (Assamese)

Habit

Small deciduous shrub or tree. Grows up to 10 meters tall.

Habitat

Native to South and Southeast Asia. Found in gardens, temple grounds, and near houses across India. Prefers subtropical climates and loamy soil.

Morphology

Leaves: Simple, opposite, ovate, rough-textured with serrated edges
Flowers: White petals with orange-red tubes, fragrant, bloom at night and fall by morning
Bark: Thin, grey
Seeds: Two flat seeds per fruit

Chemical Composition

Nyctanthin (orange-red coloring agent)
Flavonoids
Tannins
Saponins
Glycosides
Alkaloids
Essential oils
Iridoid glycosides (like arbortristoside)

Guna-Karma

Rasa-Tikta (bitter), Kashaya (astringent)
Guna- Laghu (light), Ruksha (dry)
Virya- Ushna (hot)
Vipaka- Katu (pungent)
Karma- Jwaraghna , Krimighna , Vatanulomana , Shothahara , Raktashodhaka
Doshakarma-Balances Vata and Kapha

Medicinal uses

Leaves used in treating chronic fever, malaria, and sciatica
Flower juice used in eye disorders and skin ailments
Seeds act as purgative and anthelmintic
Used in treatment of arthritis, rheumatism, and back pain
Juice of leaves used in treating constipation and intestinal worms
Flower paste used in hair tonics

Useful Part

Leaves
Flowers
Seeds
Bark

Doses

Leaf juice: 10–15 ml
Powdered leaves or bark: 2–4 g
Flower paste: as needed for external use

Important Formulation

Parijatak Patra Swarasa
Harsringar Kwath
Oil

Shloka

शेफालिका तिक्तकषाया कटुका दीपनी स्मृताः।
हृद्योष्णा कफवातघ्नी ग्रहणीदाहशूलनुत्॥

Hindi Name

हरसिंगार / शैफालिका

English Name