Prof R.D. Gupta
Murraya koenigii (Rutaceae), locally known as Karri Patta, is handsome perennial (sometimes deciduous) ornamental shrub with lush green pinnately compound leaves. The leaves are about 15-30 cm long bearing 10-20 leaflets nearly 3-5 cm long and lanceolate type. This evergreen gregarious shrub mostly regenerates from the seeds naturally and makes a dense under growth in the forests. In fact, it grows annually from the seeds producing a bumper crop, which germinates readily and densely rendering a green carpet of seedlings.
It is remarkable to note that this shrub is not browsed ordinarily by the goats except when there is lot of scarcity of fodder plants/trees or fodder crops. It grows throughout the country and raises in the Siwaliks upto 1000m. In Siwaliks of Jammu, this shrub mostly grows in its submountainous tract locally called the Kandi belt of Jammu, ranging from 300 to 1050m above sea level. It also grows in the Kandi belts of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand. Owing to its much economic household medicinal uses and natural beauty, it is now much cultivated in India.
Medicinal uses
Although medicinal uses of Karripatta run into a long list yet in literature these are stated only occasionally. All parts of the plant are used. Leaves are cooked with many preparations such as flavouring curries (Karies), chutnies pickles and other food preparations. Curry leaves are usually discarded on plates after taking meals. These innocuous looking leaves, also called meethi neem due to their resemblance with neem leaves, are great power houses of Vitamin A, calcium and folic acid Rich in Vitamin A antioxidants, these leaves are capable of preventing early development of cataract.
Apart from adding distinctive flavour to many dishes these are also employed as a herbal tonic in Ayurvedic medicine. Use of its leaves is known to boost the blood circulation, has anti microbial, heptoprotective, hypochole strolemic qualities and delays premature greying. Anti inflammatory qualities benefit bruises and skin eruptions. They can also be used a sedative and a hair tonic. Because of their mildly laxative properties, leaves of currypatta are found to ameliorate digestion of human beings. The leaves of the shrub have also antifungal properties and as such are used to fight bad breadth.
Chewing of leaves keep gums in good health and cures scurvy (gum bleeding) and tooth aches. Twigs of the plant are used as tooth brush (Datoon). Root juice relieves kidneys from pains. The extracts of its roots and bark are used as tonic, stomachic carminative.
The leaves of curry patta besides other uses, are also distilled for essential oil used in soaps and pastes. Leaves are used in dysentery, diarrhoea and for checking vomiting. The fruits of the Karri Patta are edible.
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