Photo: J.M.Garg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Patang पतंग
Caesalpinia sappan
Part used: Heartwood
| 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: Caesalpinia sappan
- Part used: Heartwood
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: Heartwood powder 3–6 g per day; decoction 40–80 ml twice daily; externally as a wash.
Patang in other languages
Introduction
Patang (Caesalpinia sappan) is sappanwood, whose dense red heartwood yields a deep colour used for dyeing and for medicine. The tree is a thorny legume of southern India and South-East Asia.
Ayurveda uses it as a cooling astringent — Raktastambhaka and Dahaprashamana — in bleeding, burning and skin complaints, and it is the colouring principle of several classical preparations.
Classification
Family Fabaceae. The heartwood is officinal. Rasa: Kashaya, Madhura. Guna: Laghu, Ruksha. Virya: Sheeta. Vipaka: Katu. Doshaghnata: pacifies Pitta and Kapha.
Uses & benefits
Given in Raktapitta and excessive menstrual bleeding, in burning and thirst, and in diarrhoea. Applied externally to wounds and inflamed skin. In this catalogue it appears in Irimedadi Taila.
Patang for bleeding and burning
Cool and astringent, it is used where bleeding and heat occur together — the classical Raktapitta indication.
Patang as a colouring drug
Its red heartwood colours several classical preparations, and that colour is a rough marker of genuine material.
Dosage — how much to take
Heartwood powder 3–6 g per day; decoction 40–80 ml twice daily; externally as a wash.
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 Patang?
The citations held for Patang in this catalogue are: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Karpuradi Varga — Patanga).
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Patang?
Kashaya rasa, sheeta virya; raktastambhaka and dahaprashamana. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Karpuradi Varga — Patanga.
What is Patang traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Given in Raktapitta and excessive menstrual bleeding, in burning and thirst, and in diarrhoea. Applied externally to wounds and inflamed skin. In this catalogue it appears in Irimedadi Taila.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Patang?
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 Patang classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Patang carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Patang is used medicinally?
The part used is Heartwood.
How much Patang is taken, and how?
Heartwood powder 3–6 g per day; decoction 40–80 ml twice daily; externally as a wash. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Patang be avoided?
Well tolerated. Astringent, so heavy prolonged use may constipate. Cooling, so less suited to cold Kapha conditions. Adulteration with other dyewoods occurs — genuine sappanwood gives a lasting colour rather than one that washes out.
Where does Patang grow?
Native to South-East Asia and cultivated in southern India, particularly Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and in Bengal.
Classical references
- Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Karpuradi Varga — Patanga
Kashaya rasa, sheeta virya; raktastambhaka and dahaprashamana. - Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India — Patanga
Heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan; identity and dose.
Safety & precautions
Well tolerated. Astringent, so heavy prolonged use may constipate. Cooling, so less suited to cold Kapha conditions. Adulteration with other dyewoods occurs — genuine sappanwood gives a lasting colour rather than one that washes out.
Where it grows
Native to South-East Asia and cultivated in southern India, particularly Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and in Bengal.
Frequently asked questions
Is sappanwood the same as red sandalwood?
No. Both are red heartwoods used for colour and cooling, but Patang is Caesalpinia sappan and Rakta Chandana is Pterocarpus santalinus. They are different trees with overlapping uses.
Why is it used as a dye and a medicine?
The same red constituents account for both. In classical practice colour and action are not separated.
