~,..","""""""" Some neglected in

S B Gokhalet, P VJoshit, AU Tatiyat, S R Bakliwal1 and R A Fursule2* !R. C. Patel College of Phannacy, KarvandNaka, Shirpur Dist. Dhule 425405 2H.R. Patel Women's College of Phannacy, KarvandNaka, Shirpur Dist. Dhule 425405 (Maharashtra) India *Correspondent author: E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract exploitation but also are required to be made familiar for their specific use to the consumers who prefer spicy food. Since antiquity spices have been considered virtually indispensable in Chemical constituents and medicinal the culinary arts, they are used to flavour foods and beverages all over the world. properties of these neglected spices are Spices add savor to insipid dishes, a tang to beverages and are appetizer as well. also discussed. Some are also used in perfumery and cosmetics whereas others heal through medicine. Their preservative, antiseptic, antibiotic and anti-oxygenic properties are also esteemed throughout the world. India is one ofthe major producing Ajrnoda 2,3,8, 10 and exporting country in the world. According to latest figure compiled by spices board, Government of India, Cochin, the export of spices from India during Dried fruits and of 1998-99 earned valuable foreign exchange worth over Rs.16500 million. Thus, Trachyspermum roxburghianum India alone contributes about 20-25 % of the total world trade in spice. Though (DC.) Craib syn. Carum , they are produced in India, few of them are neglected for their commercial use roxburghianum Benth. ex Kurz as compared to others. (Ajmoda, Hindi-Ajmud) belonging to Keywords: Spices, Neglected spices, White , Black mustard, Ajmod, familyApiaceae are used as spice. The Pathurchur, Dill, False , , Lemon grass. is cultivatedalmost throughout India chieflyin gardens. Fruits are 2 to 2.5 mm IPC Code; Int. d.' -A23L 1/221, A61K35/78 < long and hispid. Leavesare rather broad ._.__ .~. on upper side and lanceolate. Aromatic Introduction sweet. These are used in diet to balance fruits are used for flavouring curries. tridoshas i.e. vata, pitta and kapha Leaves are used by Europeans as a Ayurveda,an ancient science of for healthy living. substitute for for .

life has sung the praise of spices as About fifty items constituting VPI" wonder-foods since antiquity. Ayurvedic various plant parts like , fruits, _ .JP textswritten before 1000 B.C.and dealing leaves, bark, rhizomes, and with health have described several spices oleoresins are used in India for culinary for various common disorders. The great purposes. The intention for their use may physician Sushruta has described 760 be aroma, colour, taste, etc. Most of these herbal drugs including spices like , popular spices are indigenous to India and , , , etc. are consumed mainly at home. India is Spices are frequently used in Indian also one of the leading exporters of vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet and spices!. contribute all six tastes or Rasas Le. Following are the few spices,

astringent, bitter, pungent, salty,sour and which not only need commercial Trachyspennum roxburghianum

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Fruits contain volatileoil (3-4%) larynx and bronchp5. It is also used in with thymol, carvacrol and thymene, fixed cough and dyspepsia. Essential oil is used oil and proteins. Bergaptane is isolated as antiseptic gargle and by inhalation in from fruits. A new galactoside, diphtheria. In Orissa, slender roots with 3-galactosyloxy-5-dihydroxy toluene is black pepper are used to produce sterility also present in . in women. Recently it has been reported Leavesare used as anthelmintic, to possess anticancer property!6. antiseptic, and possess antibiotic activity against Salmonella Black Mustard 2,3,8, 1O,!2 typhi, Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus and Escherichia coli. The The dried leaves and seeds of seeds are useful in hiccup, vomiting and Koch syn. Sinapis bladder pain. nigra Linn. (Black mustard, Hindi • Banarasi rai, kali rai) of Betel 2, 3,8, 9, 11 Brassicaceae family are used as spice. Brassica nigra It is a much branched annual , counter-irritant in several complaints of It consists of leaves, fruits and 1.0-2.1 m or more in height, native to the nervous system.The poultice is commonly Mediterranean region and introduced into roots ofPiper betle Linn. syn. Chavica employed in cases ofpneumonia and pleu• India. Leavesare stalked with dark green betle Miq. (Hindi - Pan) of risy. The seeds are used with warm water Piperaceae family.Leavesare alternate, margin and faintly serrated. Flowers as an emetic in narcotic poisoning!7. heart shaped, glabrous with shining on yellow,in corymbose racemes; siliqua 10• both sides. Inflorescence is drooping, 20 cm x 1.5-2.0 mm attenuating into DiI12,3,5,8 dense in axiliary spike. It has sharp seedless beak. Seeds very small, roundish It consists of dried fruits of burning taste and aromatic odour. oval, about 0.25 mm in diameter; seed Anethum graveolens Linn. syn. Theleavescontain an essential oil coat dark brownish-red, mucilaginous, Peu~edanum graveolens Benth. of spicy and burning flavour. It contains minutely pitted to the naked eye. belonging to familyApiaceae. Fruits are betel phenol (Chaviphenol), terpenes, Pungent constituent of the seed oblong dorsally compressed 3-4 mm long, sesquiterpenes, diastase and sugars. It also is sinigrin which is allyl isothiocyanate 1.5-3 mm broad, winged, having two contains alkaloid arakene with properties glycoside and is credited for its mericarps separating easilywith sixvittae. allied to cocaine. Leavesare rich source preservative action. Seeds yield 0.6% They are hot and bitter. of B and C and contain starch, characteristic volatile oil. An enzyme, Dried ripe fruits contain volatile sugars, tannins and diastase (0.8 to 1.8%). cutinase is isolated from germinated oil (3-4%) and fixed oil. Volatile oil is Betel leaves are chewed for pollen. composed of anethole, phellandrene, narcotic effect and as mouth refresher Seeds have both pungency and after the meal. It has been in use since flavour and used as . It is ancient times as an aromatic stimulant and ground with for preparing antiflatulant. Leaves are used in several table mustard. Youngleavesare consumed common household remedies and as spice as a pot-herb. The seedlings may be added in cooking. Theyare sweetish. It improves to salads. Oil of seed is used as salad oil the voice and removes the smell from the after refining. Seeds are used in pickels mouth and increases the salivary and curries. It stimulates digestive secretion. Liquid extract of betel leaves is secretions. given in catarrhal inflammation of throat, Poultice of seed is used as Anethum graveolens

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d- and carveol. Traditionallyit is Green mint (Spearmint) 2,3,6,10 used as ingredient for flavouring curries. Seeds are stomachic, antipyretic, Leaves of Green mint, carminativeand anthelmintic. It also cures spicata Linn. emend Nathh. syn. M. cough and ulcers. Fruits are used as viridis Linn. (Hindi-Pahari pudina) condiment. It is excellent remedy in of Lamiaceae family are used as spice. children complaints such as flatulenceand The herb has aromatic leaves lanceolate indigestion. It is mostly given in the form or oblong, sharply toothed 3.7 to 10 em of Dill water. Leaves are used as long and shortly petioled with minute stinmlating poultice. hairs. The seeds contain mucilage. Due citratus to increasing demand of this spice its ·methyl heptanol, citral and /3-ocimene13• False Nutmeg 2,3,6,7,8 imports hav~ been ranging between Rs. The grass is used for flavouring soups, tea 86 to 150 lakhs annually. The country's and curries. It is used as laxative, The dried seeds of False nutmeg, annual requirement of mint oil is about antimicrobiaP4, anthelmintic and malabarica Lamk. (Hindi 10 MT. tonnes which can be met by appetizer. Citral is starting material for - Bombay-jayphal, van-jayaphal) growing the crop over 10 thousands synthesis of VitaminA. of family are used as acreslS• spice. Fruits are elongate, densely rugose, Leavesand floweringtops contain Pathurchur (Panova) 2, 3, 8, II tomentose. Seeds are arrilate, aril reddish an essential oil with thymol, resin, tannin The leaves of Coleus yellow,irregularly lobed, extending up to and gums. Diosmetin and diosmin are amboinicus Lour. syn. C. aromaticus obtained from leaves. Aromatic leaves of the apex of seed. They are also used for Benth. (Hindi - Pathorchur) adulterating true mace (Jayapatri) and spearmint are used for flavouringchutney belonging to familyLamiaceae are used true nutmeg, and curries. Leavesare givenin fever and as spice. Leavesare 2.5 to 5 em, petioled, bronchitis and decoction is used as lotion Doutt. (Jaiphal). broadly ovate, crenate, fleshy and It contains myristic, palmitic and in apthae. In Europe, the herb is aromatic. oleic acid. This nutmeg is deficient in considered as carmin!ltive,stimulant and It contains essential oil volatile oil and devoid ofaroma and is not antispasmodic. Oilis a powerful antiseptic containing carvacrol. Allparts ofthe plant and relieves toothache. It reduces the used for distillationpurposes. Traditionally are delightfully fragrant. They form an yellowish mace (Rampatri) aril number ofWBCbydiminishing the activity agreeable, flavoured cooling drink used of intestinal absorbance. surrounding the fruit is used as aromatic in hot season. Leavesare frequently eaten spice. It is used as cooling agent, febrifuge with bread and butter. Bhajias are and expectorant. The obtained from Lemon grass 2,3,4,8, II also made from leaves. They have seeds is good for vata (myalgia, sprains specificaction on bladder, usefulin urinary and sores) . . It consists of freshly harvested leaves of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (Hindi - Agin ghas, gandhatrina) and belongs to family Poaceae. Leavesare 90 em long and 1.5 em wide, tapering on both ends, margins scabrous, inflorescence is compound and loose. Branches are slender. Leaf oil mainly contains

Myristica malabarica isovaleraldehyde, furfural, my,icene, Coleus amboinicus

Natural Product Radiance Vol 3(5) September-October 2004 Art;,I. diseases and vaginal discharge. Juice Seeds are beneficial when administered Mhaskar (Lalit Mohan Basu, mixed with sugar is a powerful internally in cases ofnervine diseases such Allahabad), 2nd edn, 4 vols, 1935. carminative.InWestBengal,itis employed as hysteria and epilepsy. 9. Andrew Chavellier, MNIMH, The in colic and dyspepsia, while in Sri Lanka Encyclopedia of Medicinal , decoction of leaves is given to asthmatic References Dorling Kindersley, London, 1996, patients, in epilepsy and in the treatment 244-248. of convulsions. 1. Major Spices of India - Crop 10. Handbook on Spices, by NIIRBoard, Management and Post-Harvest AsiaPacific Business Press Inc. Delhi, White Mustard 2, 3, 5, 8, 10 Technology, by JS Pruthi, Indian 332-366. Council ofAgriculture Research, New 11. A Handbook of Medicinal Plants: A The dried leaves and seeds of Delhi 1998. Complete Source Book, by ND Sinapis alba Linn. syn.Brassica alba 2. Indian Materia Medica, by KM Prajapati, SSPurohit, AKSharma and (Linn.) Rabenth. (Brassicaceae) are Nadkarni (Popular Book Depot, Tarun Kumar, Jodhpur, Agrobios, used as spice. Theplant is grown as garden Bombay & Dhootapapeshwar 2003, 116,162,185,388,401. crop in North India during winter. Leaves Prakashan Ltd,Panvel), 2vols, 3rd edn 12. Handbook of Aromatic Plants, by SK are stalked and pinnatified. It is self-sterile (revised and enlarged), by AK Bhattacharjee, Pointer Publishers, species with hairy stems. Seeds are white, Nadkami, 1954. Jaipur, 2000, 96, 349-350. lightly pitted, subglobular about 2.5 mm 3. The Wealth of India: A Dictionary of 13. KasaliAA,OyedejiAO and Ashilokun in diameter, pale yellow, testa smooth to Indian Raw Materials and Industrial AO, Volatile leaf oil constituents of the naked eyes. It forms mucilagenous Products - Raw Materials Series Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stap£ solution with cold water. White mustard (Publications and Information Flavour Fragr J, 2001, 16(5), 377-378. seeds are much larger than those of black Directorate, Council of Scientific & mustard seeds and are free from pungent Industrial Research, NewDelhi), vols 14. PrashantD, AshaMK,Balaji G,BijuJ, odour but have pungent taste. I-XI; revised series lA, 1985; 2B, Yogisha Sand Amit A, Stability of Seedscontain 23 to 25% fixedoil; 1988; 3Ca-Ci,1992. antimicrobial activity of Wisprec • a crystalline glycosidal substance called A cross sectional study, J Nat 4. Pharmacognosy, by CK Kokate, AP sinalbin is present. Sulphoxyoxide, Remed, 2002, 2 (1),96-98. Purohit and SBGokhale, 22nd Edition, lecithin, mucilage (only in testa) are the 15. Majumdar B, Chaudhary SR, Ray A Nirali Prakashan, 1999, 319-320. other constituents. Leavesare used as dry and Bandopadhyay K, Potent 5. Medicinal Plants, by Robert Bentley salad with cress. Se'eds are used in antiulcerogenic activity of ethanol and Henry Trimen, 2 vols, Asiatic preparation of . extract of leaf of Piper betle Linn. 'Publishing H'ouse, Delhi, 2002. . by antioxidative mechanism, J Clin Seed flour is 6. Medicinal Plants in India, by T Biochem, 2002, 17 (1), 49-57. nervine Pullaiah, 2 vols,RegencyPublications, 16. Med Arom Plant Abstr, 2002, 24, stimulant, NewDelhi, 2002. 739. emetic and· 7. Indian Medicinal Plants, A 17. Minor Spices and Condiments - Crop diuretic. Volatile Compendium of 500 species, edited Management and Post-Harvest oil is stimulant by PK Warrier, VPKNambiar and C Technology, by JS Pruthi, Indian and rubefacient. Ramankutty, Orient Longman Ltd, Council ofAgriculture Research, New Madras, 5 vols, 1994-1996. Delhi, 2000. 8. Indian Medicinal Plants, by KR 18. Kothari SKand SinghVB,Economics Kirtikar, BD Basu and an ICS (retd); of mints oil production, Indian Sinapis alba revised by E Blatter,JF Caius and KS PerfumJ 1994,38(1), 15-22.

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