Photo: Kauwotgungcheia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Saptparni सप्तपर्णी
Alstonia scholaris
Also known as: Saptaparni
Part used: Root, Stem Bark
| 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: Alstonia scholaris
- Part used: Root, Stem Bark
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: Bark powder 1–3 g per day; decoction 40–60 ml twice daily.
Saptparni in other languages
Introduction
Saptparni (Alstonia scholaris) is the devil's tree or blackboard tree, named for the seven leaves that radiate from each node and for the soft wood once used to make school slates. Its bark is intensely bitter and exudes a milky latex.
Ayurveda uses it as a Jwaraghna and Krimighna drug — for fevers, particularly intermittent ones, and for worms — and in chronic skin disease.
Classification
Family Apocynaceae. Stem bark is the officinal part; the root is used in some preparations. Rasa: Tikta, Kashaya. Guna: Laghu, Ruksha. Virya: Ushna. Vipaka: Katu. Doshaghnata: pacifies Kapha and Pitta.
Uses & benefits
Given in intermittent and chronic fevers, in worm infestation, and in chronic skin disease and non-healing ulcers. Classical texts also use it in Prameha and in the post-partum period to restore digestion. It appears in Amritarishta and Karanj Taila in this catalogue.
Saptparni in intermittent fever
Its marked bitterness is the classical answer to fevers that recur, and it is a standard component of the compound fever preparations.
Saptparni for skin and worms
Used in chronic skin complaints and in intestinal worm infestation, on the same bitter, cleansing principle.
Dosage — how much to take
Bark powder 1–3 g per day; decoction 40–60 ml twice daily. Doses are modest — it is a strongly bitter drug.
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 Saptparni?
The citations held for Saptparni in this catalogue are: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Guduchyadi Varga — Saptaparna).
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Saptparni?
Tikta-kashaya rasa, ushna virya; jwaraghna and krimighna. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Guduchyadi Varga — Saptaparna.
What is Saptparni traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Given in intermittent and chronic fevers, in worm infestation, and in chronic skin disease and non-healing ulcers. Classical texts also use it in Prameha and in the post-partum period to restore digestion. It appears in Amritarishta and Karanj Taila in this catalogue.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Saptparni?
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 Saptparni classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Saptparni carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Saptparni is used medicinally?
The part used is Root, Stem Bark.
How much Saptparni is taken, and how?
Bark powder 1–3 g per day; decoction 40–60 ml twice daily. Doses are modest — it is a strongly bitter drug. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Saptparni be avoided?
Bitter and drying; may aggravate Vata with prolonged use. Avoid in pregnancy. The latex is irritant to skin and eyes — handle fresh bark with care. Use only within compound formulations at a physician's direction.
Where does Saptparni grow?
A tall evergreen tree of moist forest across India, common in the Western Ghats, eastern India, the sub-Himalayan tract and widely planted as an avenue tree.
Classical references
- Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Guduchyadi Varga — Saptaparna
Tikta-kashaya rasa, ushna virya; jwaraghna and krimighna. - Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India — Part I — Saptaparna
Stem bark of Alstonia scholaris; identity and dose.
Safety & precautions
Bitter and drying; may aggravate Vata with prolonged use. Avoid in pregnancy. The latex is irritant to skin and eyes — handle fresh bark with care. Use only within compound formulations at a physician's direction.
Where it grows
A tall evergreen tree of moist forest across India, common in the Western Ghats, eastern India, the sub-Himalayan tract and widely planted as an avenue tree.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called the devil's tree?
A folk name attached to the tree for its heavy night scent when flowering, which many find overpowering. It has no bearing on the drug.
Is the latex used?
Not therapeutically in these formulations — the bark is the drug. The fresh latex is irritant and is avoided.
