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Jimi जिमी
Amorphophallus paeoniifolius
Also known as: Jimi Kand (Suran)
Part used: Tuber (Corm)
| Rasa (taste) | Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent) |
|---|---|
| Guna (qualities) | Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry) |
| Virya (potency) | Ushna (Hot) |
| Vipaka | Katu (Pungent) |
| Dosha | Balances Kapha & Vata |
| Prabhava | Classical systemic action |
Key takeaways
- Botanical name: Amorphophallus paeoniifolius
- Part used: Tuber (Corm)
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: Dried corm powder 3–6 g per day; the cooked corm eaten as food.
Jimi in other languages
Introduction
Jimi Kand (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius), the elephant foot yam or Suran, is a large corm eaten as a vegetable across India and used medicinally on the same properties.
Ayurveda names it Surana and rates it the foremost drug for Arshas — piles. It is pungent, drying and Kapha-clearing, and its raw acridity is why it must be properly prepared.
Classification
Family Araceae. The corm is officinal. Rasa: Katu, Kashaya. Guna: Laghu, Ruksha, Tikshna. Virya: Ushna. Vipaka: Katu. Doshaghnata: pacifies Kapha and Vata; aggravates Pitta.
Uses & benefits
The classical drug for piles, given in bleeding and non-bleeding haemorrhoids and in the sluggish digestion that underlies them. Also used in abdominal distension, worm infestation and enlarged spleen. In this catalogue it appears in Arshkuthar Ras.
Suran for piles
Bhavaprakasha calls it Arshoghna — destroyer of piles — and it is the drug most consistently named for that condition across the classical texts.
Suran for digestion
Its pungency kindles Agni and relieves the abdominal heaviness and constipation that maintain the condition.
Dosage — how much to take
Dried corm powder 3–6 g per day; the cooked corm eaten as food. Raw corm is not used.
Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm with a qualified Vaidya.
Traditional uses — questions answered from the classical texts
Answers are drawn from the citations and properties recorded for this drug. No chapter-and-verse reference appears that the record does not carry.
Which classical texts describe Jimi?
The citations held for Jimi in this catalogue are: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Shaka Varga — Surana).
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Jimi?
Katu-kashaya rasa, ushna virya; described as arshoghna. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Shaka Varga — Surana.
What is Jimi traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
The classical drug for piles, given in bleeding and non-bleeding haemorrhoids and in the sluggish digestion that underlies them. Also used in abdominal distension, worm infestation and enlarged spleen. In this catalogue it appears in Arshkuthar Ras.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Jimi?
Rasa Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent), Guna Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry), Virya Ushna (Hot), Vipaka Katu (Pungent). Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata. Prabhava: Classical systemic action.
Why is Jimi classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Jimi carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Jimi is used medicinally?
The part used is Tuber (Corm).
How much Jimi is taken, and how?
Dried corm powder 3–6 g per day; the cooked corm eaten as food. Raw corm is not used. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Jimi be avoided?
Raw or undercooked corm contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause intense itching and burning of the mouth and throat — it must be properly processed or cooked, traditionally with tamarind or buttermilk. Aggravates Pitta; avoid in hyperacidity and bleeding conditions of Pitta origin. Not advised in pregnancy.
Where does Jimi grow?
Cultivated across India, particularly in Kerala, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, and grown in kitchen gardens for the corm.
Classical references
- Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Shaka Varga — Surana
Katu-kashaya rasa, ushna virya; described as arshoghna. - Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India — Surana
Corm of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius; identity and dose.
Safety & precautions
Raw or undercooked corm contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause intense itching and burning of the mouth and throat — it must be properly processed or cooked, traditionally with tamarind or buttermilk. Aggravates Pitta; avoid in hyperacidity and bleeding conditions of Pitta origin. Not advised in pregnancy.
Where it grows
Cultivated across India, particularly in Kerala, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, and grown in kitchen gardens for the corm.
Frequently asked questions
Why does raw elephant foot yam sting the mouth?
It contains needle-like calcium oxalate crystals. Proper cooking or classical processing — traditionally with tamarind or buttermilk — destroys them.
Is it a food or a medicine?
Both. It is a common vegetable and simultaneously the classical drug for piles, which is why it is often recommended as a dietary measure in that condition.
