Nyctanthes arbor-tristis

HABIT: It is a shrub or small tree growing to 10 m tall terrestrial woody perennial plant having 5–20 years of lifespan. Its leaves are rough with hairy surface, opposite, ovate in shape and serrate margin. The flowers are fragrant with a five-to-eight lobed corolla and orange-red center, often seen in a cluster of two to seven. The petals are snow white with dew drops sitting on them. The fruit is plane, brown and heart-shaped to round capsule, around 2 cm in diameter with two sections, each containing a single seed. ​

CONSERVATION STATUS: Evaluated as 'Least Concern' by IUCN.

MEDICINAL USES: The bark of the plant has also been checked for anti-histamine activity. Hydroalcoholic extracts of N. arbortristis (NAT) have anxiolytic potential. Using hydro-alcoholic mixture, dried plant parts of N. arbortristis was extracted, concentrated by distilling off the solvent and then evaporated to dryness on the water bath and then stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator till used. The aqueous extract of the whole plant, alcoholic extract of stem and seeds and water soluble portion of the alcoholic extract of leaves of N. arbortristis were reported to have acute and sub-acute antiinflammatory activity. The fresh juice obtained from the leaves of the plant was found to have antimalarial activity. The chloroform extract of the flowers and a pure compound isolated from N. arbortristis plant exhibit larvicidal activity against Culex quinquefasciatus, a common floral vector. Fruit, leaf and stem methanol extracts of N. arbortristis were tested for in vitro anticancer activities. The anti-diabetic activity of methanol extract of root of N. arbortristis is comparable to that of diabetic control animals. 

(Bhalakiya, H., & Modi, N. R. (2019). Traditional medicinal uses, phytochemical profile and pharmacological activities of Nyctanthes arbortris. RJLBPCS, 5, 1003-1023.)

ETHNOBOTANICAL USES: The flowers are gathered for religious offerings and to make garlands. The orange heart is used for dyeing silk and cotton, a practice that started with Buddhist monks whose orange robes were given their color of this flower. The Parijatak is regarded in Hindu folklore as one of the five wish-granting trees of Devaloka. Different parts of Nyctanthes arbortristis Linn are known to possess various ailments by tribal people of the Indian subcontinent with its use in Ayurveda, Sidha and Unani systems of medicines. Flowers The flowers are used as stomachic, carminative, astringent for bowel, antibilious, expectorant, hair tonic and in the treatment of piles and various skin diseases and in the management of ophthalmic purposes. The flowers of Nyctanthes arbortristis are used in India, Indonesia (Java) and Malaysia to provoke menstruation. The hot combination of flowers is used by some elderly Sri Lankan Buddhist monks as a sedative. The essential oil in the fragrant flowers, which is similar to the oil in N. arbortristis, is used as a perfume.

(Bhalakiya, H., & Modi, N. R. (2019). Traditional medicinal uses, phytochemical profile and pharmacological activities of Nyctanthes arbortris. RJLBPCS, 5, 1003-1023.)