Ketak / Scre pine / Pandanus odorotissimus – Classification, Ayurvedic Properties & Dosage

Description

Herbs can be used in an unlimited number of ways like can be used in dried or fresh form, these are also a very important component to protect our body from diseases, and gives many health benefits, by improving our immunity and mental health. Here, we are going to discuss a herb named ketak with its nutritional importance and health benefits. Ketak or ketaki is recognised by Pandanus odoratissimus and belongs to the family Pandanaceae. The tree of this herb is found in the temperate climate and grows fairly quickly, is a palm-like tree of a height of 3-4 metres. This is highly recognizable for its Kapha-pitta shamak properties.

Ketak Ayurvedic Properties, Benefits of Ketak, Botanical Name of Ketak, Classification, Effects On Doshas, Synonyms, Pandanus odorotissimus, Scre pine, Health, Dosage, Ayurvedic products

Special Note About This Plant

Ketak is a herb of the botanical name Pandanus odoratissimus and belongs to the family Pandanaceae.
Ketak herb is used for the management of Diabetes, recurrent threatened abortions, fever, joint pain, otalgia condition, and psychiatric conditions.
The principal constituent in ketaki is Pandanus, which consists of essential oils, terpene-4-ol, benzyl salicylate, and methyl ether of beta phenyl ethyl alcohol.
This herb is blooming in the rainy season, and its fruiting time is the summer season.

Systemic Classification

Botanical Name – andanus odoratissimus
Family – Pandanaceae
Genus – Pandanus
Species – P. odorifer

Synonyms

Ketak, Soochipushap – Sharp flowers resemble a needle.
Kakchchad – Its leaves are toothed, and are off having sharp ends.
Trinn shoonya

Other Vernacular Names

In Hindi – Kewda
In Gujarati – kewado
In Bengali – keya
In Tamil – Jawnaan, Chedi
In Telugu – Mogali chettu
In Farsi – kadi
In English – Screw Pine

Habitat

It is a small branched palm tree height of 10-12 feet, with a flexuous trunk that is heavily filled with small branches. This is supported by brace roots, it’s looking like touching the ground due to its shoots being downwards towards the ground.
Leaves are grown in clusters that are 40-70 cm in length, sword-shaped, greenish blue in colour, and stiff. Its above part is stiffed, middle and end part is toothed.
Flowers are fragrant and have a sweet, perfumed odour that resembles the fragrance of a rose, but it’s more fruity.
Its male flowers are used mostly, distilled, and stored in a watery distillate called kewra water.
Fruits are round, 4 to 10 inches long, and 4 to 8 inches in diameter, are of deep greenish colour, found in cluster form.
This plant commonly grows near seashores, ponds, and river banks. It propagates quickly with seeds or branch cutting.
In the rainy season, a flower blooms, and in the summer season fruits appear.

Classical Categorisation

Acharya Bhavprakash has mentioned this herb in Puspa Varga.
Kaiyyadev Nighantu has mentioned this herb in Vihara Varga.
In Raj Nighantu, this herb is mentioned in Karveeradi Varga.

Ancient Verse

Shloka – 1

केतकः सूचिकापुष्पो जम्बुकाः क्रकचच्छद:।
सुवर्णकेतकी त्वन्या लघुपुष्पा सुगन्धिनी।।
केतकः कटुकः स्वादुर्लघुस्तिक्ता: कपहपह:।
उष्णा तिक्तरसा ज्ञेया चक्षुष्या हेमकेतकी ।।

Reference – Bhavprakash / Pushap Varga

Interpretation of Shloka – Ketaki and Suvarna ketaki are the two varieties of ketaki herb, suvarna ketaki’s flowers are slightly small, golden in colour, and are enriched with fragrance. This is pungent, sweet, light to digest, and is used to pacify the kapha dosha.

Shloka – 2

केतकी कटुका पाके लघुस्तिक्ता कफापहा।

Reference – Dhanwantri Nighantu

Interpretation of Shloka – Ketaki is bitter, pungent and is light in digestion, pacifies the Kapha dosha.

Shloka – 3

पुष्पाणां प्रवरं हेमकेतकीपुष्पमुच्यते ।
इषदुष्णम् सुगंधम् च सुतिक्तम् दृष्टिदायकम्।।

Reference – Kaiyyadev Nighantu / Vihar Varga

Interpretation of Shloka – Its flowers are called the best in all the flowers. Their potency is hot, fragrant, bitter and good for the eyes.

Shloka – 4

केतकः सूचिकापुष्पो जम्बुकाः क्रकचच्छद:।
हेमाभं मदनोन्मादवर्द्धनम् सौख्यकारि च ।।
तस्य:स्तनोऽतिशिशिरः कटु: पित्तकफापह:।
रसायनकरो बल्यो देहदार्ढ्यकरः परः।।

Reference – Raj Nighantu / Karveeradi Varga

Interpretation of Shloka – The flowers of ketaki impart lustre to the skin and remove the foul odour from the hair. Its golden flowers are sex stimulants and give pleasure. Its stem is very coolant, and pungent and quells the pitta and Kapha condition. It is rejuvenating (rasayana) gives strength to the body, acts as a tonic and as well as provides firmness all over the skin.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa (Taste) – Tikta (Bitter), Madhur (Sweet), Katu (Pungent)
Guna (Quality) – Laghu (light), Snigadh (Moist)
Veerya (Potency) – Ushna (hot)
Vipaka (Post digestive effect) – Katu (Pungent)
Karma (Action) – Balances the Vata, Pitta, and Kapha dosha.
Projyang (Part used) – Flowers and their roots are used for medicinal purposes.

Effects on Doshas

Due to its snigadh and ushna gunna, this herb helps to pacify the Vata dosha.
Due to its tikta and Madhur rasa, this herb helps to pacify the Kapha and pitta dosha.
So in short we can say that this herb works on each dosha and helps to balance the body.
Specifically, according to all the properties, this herb strongly works on Kapha and pitta dosha.

Practical Uses

This herb helps to alleviate Kapha-pitta disease.
This herb is useful in enhancing the complexion, and also works on skin diseases like eczema, and pruritus.
Ketaki is beneficial as an analgesic, anti-epileptic, good for hair, helps to remove odour, and is good for healing wounds or ulcers.
This is good for soothing the mind and helps to nourish all the nerves.
Its oil is good for back pain, osteoarthritis, and headache.
Its flower juice is good for the apsmara condition.
Its oil is good for the false smell of hair or body.
This herb is good for heart diseases and acts as a heart tonic.
Roots are effective for relieving diabetes.
Leaves, flowers, and fruits are infused to relieve the pain of the joints.
Boosts oral health with its leaf’s decoction and a pleasant aroma.
Stop bleeding gums due to their astringent properties.
It may also act as a mild laxative.