Rohitaka Health Benefits and Uses

Rohitaka is an ayurvedic herb that belongs to the family "Bignoniaceae" and has a scientific botanical name "Tecomella Undulata". Ayurveda acharyas recommend this herb in treatments for disorders of the liver, hemorrhoids, fistula, diabetes, intestinal parasites, obesity, diseases of the spleen, white discharge in women, and indigestion. Various studies have proved that this herb has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, hepatoprotective, anticancer, muscle relaxant, heart-strengthening, and liver-protecting properties.
The health benefits of this plant are explained as follows.
Balances Kapha and Pitta
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s herb helps to balance kapha dosha and pitta dosha. Hence this herb is recommended in diseases of liver, respiratory system, female reproductive system, and digestive systems.
Helps in Liver Detox and Fatty Liver
Rohitaka is eulogized by ayurveda acharyas as protector of liver. They recommend this herb in "yakrut roga" or diseases of liver such as jaundice, fatty liver, stones in gall bladder etc. Usually this herb is used along with other liver protective herbs like Punarnava, Chitraka, Giloy (amruta), Brungaraj ( brunga), katurohini and bhumyamalakai. This herb is also a potent blood purifier.
Aids in Weight Management
Since the herb rohitaka helps in balancing kapha dosha and pitta dosha, it has found usefulness in ayurvedic therapies for weight management. It helps to control imbalance of medha dhatu (body fat) and mamsa dhatu ( body muscles) . It is praised as "medha mamsa roga hara". This implies that it helps to reduce body fat and improve muscle health. Ayurvedic physicians recommend this herb in treatment of obesity.
Helps in Diabetes
Since it helps in weight management and improves liver health, it aids in blood sugar level maintenance. Various research has shown that rohitaka lowered body weight, inflammation, insulin resistance and blood cholesterol. It improves levels of antioxidants. Hence this herb is regularly used by ayurvedic physicians to treat diabetes.
Improves skin health
The bark of this plant is used in treatment of skin diseases. Liver detox, blood purification, and supply of antioxidants makes the skin radiant and healthy. This herb is endowed with all these properties. Hence the decoction of the bark of this plant is used to treat skin diseases.
Ayurveda Medicinal Properties of Rohitaka
This medium sized tree grows in Himalayan region and west India. It reaches a height of 7 to 9 meters. Leaves and flowers resemble that of a pomegranate tree.
This tree is known as rudanti in hindi, desert teak in English, rohido in gujarati, mullumuntala in kannada, cemmaram in malayalam, leberra in Punjabi and malampuluvan in tamil.

Texts of ayurveda explain the medicinal properties of this plant as follows.
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This plant is spicey ( katu rasa), bitter (tikta rasa) and astringent (kashaya Rasa ) to taste. After digestion ( vipaka ) it retains the spicey taste. It is light to digest ( laghu) and absorbs the water content from body (rooksha). It keeps the body cool (sheeta veerya).
In texts of ayurveda, this plant is described with different names. Few are given here.
Dadima pushpa, dadimashchada- flowers of this plant resemble that of pomegranate (dadima)
Lohita,rohita,raktapushpa - flowers are blood red in colour
Kushalmali, kuta shalmali - a lesser variety of shalmali.
Pleehaghna, yaktavairi - useful in diseases of pleeha ( spleen)
Raktaghna - Best blood purifier and eliminates toxins from blood.
Varatikta - best bitter herb.
Other names are sadapushpa, rochana, sada prasoona, parijataka.
Ayurveda acharyas explain the use of this plant in different health conditions as follows.
It is very useful in treating "pleeha roga" that is in diseases of spleen and enlargement of spleen
This can be effectively used in "udara" and "gulma" i.e., in diseases of abdomen like ascites , enlargement of abdomen nd tumours of abdomen.
Rohitaka is herb of choice in "yakrut roga" or diseases of liver. It is recommended in jaundice, fatty liver and as a liver detox.
They prefer to use this herb over others while treating "mamsa and medha" that is muscle loss and obesity.
It addresses three major digestive issues "anaha" , "shula" and "vibhandha", which means bloating , colic and constipation. Due to its "sara" property, it increases bowel movement and causes purgation.
This herb is praised as "krimighna" which means it is useful to remove intestinal parasites and it also has anti-microbial effect.
It is also useful in healing "vrana" ( wounds) and "Netra roga" (diseases of eyes).
Rohitaka is very effective in diseases which originate due to impure blood. It acts as a best blood purifier and helps to heal abscess, acne, pimple etc.
Dosage
The bark of this plant is commonly used in ayurvedic system of medicine. The bark powder can be used in dosage of 1 to 3 grams per day. The decoction or Kashaya of this bark can be used in dosage of 50 to 100 ml per day.
Chemical Composition
The root and leaves of this plant contain Tecol and Tacosanol respectively. The Heart wood contains, Lapachol, Octacosanylacetylferulate, Tectol, Tectoquinone and Undulatin. The most powerful part bark contains Tecomin, Tecomelloside, Undulatoside A&B, Tecoside, C27 and C29, B-Sitosterol.
Home Remedies with Rohitaka
In skin diseases like abscess, rashes and boils, the decoction of this plant is mixed with bathing water and taking bath twice daily with this water helps in quick healing of wounds.
When women have white discharge or watery discharge the root and bark are finely ground with water and consumed with honey.
Kada or Kashaya of this bark is used in enlargement of spleen and liver diseases.
The bark powder is used in treatment of intestinal parasites. This powder also boosts appetite and eases digestion.
Side Effects of Rohitaka
This herb does not show any adverse effects. It can be used with other system of medicines after consulting a qualified ayurvedic physician.