Treat Rheumatism and Sciatica with Night Jasmine

The Night Jasmine (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) or Night jasmine as it is commonly known in India is a plant that has received prominent mention in ancient Indian mythology and literature. It is also often used for religious ceremonies and functions. In Indian traditional medicine, the leaves of the plant have been used for bringing down high temperatures and for treating rheumatism and sciatica. The bark has been used for treating severe coughs and also been used as a laxative. Chewing the bark has also been considered to be helpful in dealing with dysfunctions of the liver.

The powdered seeds of the plant have been used for treating scalp diseases.

However, controlled experiments to test the efficacy of treatment using Night Jasmine are still pending. More research is sorely needed to identify the various medicinal properties of the plant and synthesize these components into easily accessible drugs. Although there was some research work carried out in the eighties, and the results were published in journals such as the Journal of Ethno pharmacology and the Indian Journal of Pharmacology, no further concrete work seems to have been carried out to capitalize on these findings. Another use of this plant is its effectiveness as an organic insecticide. This aspect of the plant was also highlighted in the Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences in 1982, however no further research has been carried out in this sphere either.

This is reminiscent of the case of the Margosa (Azadirachta indica), another plant that is of great importance in traditional Indian medicine. There were several articles published about the use of this plant as an insecticide in Indian scientific journals, but no further research was carried out until it was eventually researched and patented by a laboratory outside India. It is important that countries with a history of traditional medicine take the initiative to thoroughly research their ancient medical remedies and adapt them for modern use. This will not only help in bringing about new and novel methods of combating various diseases, but will also greatly aid the economy of such developing nations.

Submitted on January 16, 2014