Progressive Research 9 (Special) : 657-659 (2014) Society for Sci. Dev. in Agric. and Tech.

TRA DITIONAL TEA “Avarekayi” FROM Auriculata (L.) ROXB : A MUL TI PUR POSE UN DER-UTI LIZED ME DIC I NAL OF IN DIA

Ranbir Singh1, Vinod Kumar2, O.P. Dhariwal1, N.S. Panwar1, R.P.S. Deswal3, P.B. Singh4 and K.C. Bhatt1 1Na tional Bu reau of Plant Ge netic Re sources, Pusa Cam pus, New Delhi-110 012 2Na tional Bu reau of Plant Ge netic Re sources Re gional Sta tion Hyderabad-500 030, Andhra Pradesh 3CCS Haryana Agri cul tural Uni ver sity, Re gional Re search Station, Bawal-123 501, Haryana 4Ag ri cul tural Re search Station (MPUAT), Borwat Farm, Banswara-327001 (Raj.)

ABSTRACT Senna auriculata (L.) Roxb commonly known as “tanner’s cassia”, is extensively used in Indian System of Medicines to cure several diseases. The indigenous traditional knowledge about preparation of “Avarekayi tea” from the flowers by the inhabitants of ‘Eregojja’ village in district Chikmagalur, Karnataka was gathered which is supposed to be beneficial for diabetic patient. Besides, the plant being used to cure various ailments has also been discussed in the present communication.

Key words : Senna auriculata L., In dig e nous tra di tional knowl edge, ‘Avarekayi tea’. Senna auriculata belongs to family , Its are eaten as vegetable in times of famine commonly known as tanner’s cassia or tanner’s senna. and scarcity and also grown for several herbal and It is a beautiful evergreen, tall shrub with attractive medicinal uses. The tannase enzyme present in leaves bright yellow flowers (Fig. 1), believed to be a native of and of S. auriculata can be used to remove , Myanmar and . In India, S. auriculata undesirable substances such as from occurs as a widely adapted and well distributed species beverages and food material and has application in under arid and semiarid conditions of Punjab, Haryana, medical research as an anti-bacterial drug (10). Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Madhya It is a potential shrub in agro-forestry system and Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, , Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil recommended for sandstone rocky sites. It can also be Nadu and Kerala. It has different names in different grown as hedge plant due to its non-palatable nature. It Indian languages that indicate its familiarity and is cultivated as shelter and wind break shrub in the popularity among the rural folk and as per literature, its desert of Rajasthan under centrally sponsored common and local names are given below in Table 1. programme of soil conservation for enhancing the Being a multi-purpose leguminous plant, it is one productivity of degraded lands. However, there is a of the best sources for tannin (15 to 20%), while the need to undertake systematic studies on range of its fermented mixture of pounded bark is used as an distribution and prospects of in-situ conservation in the alcoholic beverage (1). This shrub has a long history of country. grow on lime-rich soils are richer in medicinal uses, hence extensively used in preparation tannin than those grow on red loam and gravelly soils. of Ayurvedic medicine “Kalpa drug” (2). Decoction of In southern India, flowers are used as fast yellow dye leaves, flower and seed is known to mediate for leather while flower buds are used in galling antidiabetic effect (3). Seed juice is used in chylous process prior to dying cotton cloths in the state of urine (4). Decoction of is used against fever and Gujarat. The dried flower serve as a coffee substitute constipation. It is believed to improve complexion in and leaves are used in tea preparation, however, the women (5). extract has wound healing properties traditional knowledge pertaining to use of the flower as (6) and also has anti-cancer effect on human breast beverage is limited. Therefore, an attempt has been tissues (7). Leaves are used to treat ulcers and leprosy made to highlight the use of flowers as “Avarekayi Tea” (8). Aqueous extract of leaves known to have prepared by the inhabitants of Eregojja village falls antioxidant properties thus delay ageing process (9). under Chikmagalur district of southern Karnataka. It is located at an altitude of 904 m in between 130.13’N 658 Singh et al., and 750.50’E. Soil is red gravelly, loamy and clayey existing local knowledge associated with the local tea type. S. auriculata is widely distributed throughout the preparation from the flowers of S. auriculata. state of Karnataka on road sides, along railway tracks, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION field bunds, forest, waste and rangelands. Local inhabitants consider it as weed having known and Botany : S. auriculata is a highly medicinal properties. Locally, it is known as ‘Avarekayi branched shrub with dark cinnamon brown bark. The geeda’ or ‘Avare’. The surveyed region is supposed to leaves are alternate, stipulate, paripinnate compound be a fragment of the ‘Sanjeevini Mountain’, which is with rachis 8.8-12.5 cm. Leaflets varying from 16-24, believed to be flown by lord Hanuman with life saving very short stalked, 2.0-2.5 cm long and 1.0-1.3 cm broad, oval oblong, obtuse at both ends. Stipules are ‘sanjeevini’ herbs from ‘Sanjeevini Mountain’ which large auricled or rotundo-reniform-round, foliacious stretches for 2 km with an altitude of 830 m where S. produced at base on side of next petiole into a filiform auriculata flowers are found in abundance and are in point and persistent. The flowers are irregular, bisexual great demand. with bright yellow coloured. The are short, erect and crowded in axils of upper leaves in order to MATERIALS AND METHODS form a large terminal . The sepals are As per National Exploration Plan 2010-11, an imbricate, glabrous, concave, membranous and exploration for collection of wild economic species and unequal with two outer ones much larger than the inner cultivated crop germplasm was undertaken during ones. The petals are five, free, imbricate, crisped along 2010 in southern and central parts covering Bangalore, the margin, bright yellow veined. The ten anthers are Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Ramanagaram, Mandya, separate with three upper . Ovary is superior, Mysore, Chamarajnagar, Kodagu, Dakshina , unilocular with marginal ovules. It is a cross pollinated Udupi, Chikmagalur, Shimoga, Chitradurga, plant and pollination is by Lepidopteron insects (11). Davanagere and Tumkur districts of Karnataka. The pod is brown, oblong and flat with sharp pointed Passport data including geographical coordinates needle like tip. Flowering and pod formation is using Garmin GPS (Global Positioning System) was observed round the year. Pods develop in clusters, with recorded. The indigenous traditional knowledge was 6-10 purplish-brown seeds compressed, tapering gathered on the uses of flowers as “Avarekayi Tea” towards base form in each pod. using semi-structured questionnaire. For the purpose, Recipe for Preparation of ‘Avarekayi Tea’ : During old experienced folk, local medicine men were our exploration in ‘Eregojja’ village in district interacted keeping in view the documentation of

Table 1 : Common and vernacular names of Senna auriculata in various Indian languages. Languages Vernacular names English name Tanner’s cassia, Tanner’s senn and Eared senna Sanskrit Charmaranga, Adarisimbi, Ahula, Ahulya, Avartaki, Avarttaki, Awarteki, Bhumyahulya, Carmaranga, Charamranga, Charmaranga, Mandari, Mayahari, Mayharie Pitakalika, Pitakilaka and Pitapuspa, Hemapushpam Hindi Taroda, Tarval, Tarvar, Tarwar, Awal, Anwal, Aval, Tarawar and Tarwar Tamil Avarai, Avaram, Avaarampoo, Avirai, Sadurguli, Sadurgulu, Semmalai, Summalai, Cularai, Cummai, Cutcumapattiram, Cuvarputpatam, Ilanci, Kapalacanti, Kapalatticceti and Tuvakal. Kannada Avara-gida, Avarike, Ollethangadi, Sakusina, Tangadi, Tangadi-gida, Tangedi, Ttaravada-gida, Aavarike, Bobbade, Chakoosina gida, Charma hada avarice, Honnavari gida and Olle thangadi. Malayalam Avara, Aveeram, Aviram, Jimute, Ponnaviram, Avaram and Avarakka. Telugu Merakatangeedu, Tangedu, Tangera, Merka tangedu, Merikatangaru, Tangar and Tanghedu Oriya Timirihari, Mayahari and Tarwad Marathi Tarwar, Arsual, Tharoda, Taravada, Taroda, Tarwad, Avul and Tarvad. Gujarati Awal, Aval Rajasthan Anwala (Source : Wealth of India 1950; 1992) Traditional tea ‘‘avarekayl’’ from senna auriculata 659

medicinal and commercial uses which can be utilized after value addition. It can also fit into afforestation, agro-forestry and soil reclamation programmes as a legume species. Further pharmacological studies are required to harvest the rich benefit from this species particularly its potential usage as tea for diabetic patients. Therefore, there is a need to focus on its research to exploit its commercial and medicinal potential.

REFERENCES

Fig. 1 : Senna auriculata plant with flower and pods. 1. Wealth India (1948-1992) The Wealth of India-Raw Materials, vols. II. III (Revised and Supplement). Publications and Information Directorate, Council of Chikmagalur of Karnataka (India) while collecting Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. indigenous traditional knowledge on this species, the 2. Pari, L.; Murugan, P. and Appa, R.C. (2007). Influence of farmers of the village informed that flowers are used to Cassia auriculata flowers on insulin receptors in make herbal tea for diabetic patients by the local streptozotocin induced diabetic rats: Studies on insulin Inhabitants. (5) has also reported similar observations. binding to erythrocytes. Afr J of Bio Res. 1 (7): 148-155. The indigenous traditional knowledge of preparation of 3. Shrotri, D.S. and Aiman R. (1960). The relationship of the tea from the flowers of S. auriculata is known among post-abortive state to the hypoglycaemic action. Ind J Med Res. 48 : 162-168. the aged people in the ‘Erigojja’ village. About three 4. Alagesaboopathi, C. (2009). Ethnomedicinal plants and decade back, the villagers used to drink the tea their utilization by villagers in Kumargiri hills of Salem prepared from ‘Avarike’ flowers. It was a tradition and district of Tamil Nadu, India. Afr J Trad. 6 (3): 222-227. an honour to offer this tea to guests and relatives in the 5. Rao, N.G.; Mahesh, K.P.; Dhandapani, V.S.; Rama, T.K. villages. However, gradually it was replaced by tea Toshimitsu, H. (2000). Isolation and Spectral data of di- prepared from the leaves of Camelina sinensis. Now, (2-ethyl) hexyl phthalate (1) from Cassia auriculata leaves. Fitoterapia 71 (1) : 82-83. the knowledge and awareness of ‘Avarekayi tea’ is 6. Bhakta, T.; Mukherjee, PK, Pal M, Saha BP (1998a) lacking among the young generation. The method for Studies on antitussive activity of Cassia fistula L. preparing ‘Avarekayi tea’ is simple. The decoction is (Leguminosae) leaf extract. Pharm Biol. 36 : 140-143. prepared first by thoroughly boiling fresh petals of the 7. Prasanna, R.; Harish, C.C.; Pichaj, R.; Sakthisekaran, D. flower in water for about 15-20 minutes. Then, desired and Gunasekaran, P. (2009). Anti-cancer effect of quantity of sugar and milk is added to this decoction. Cassia auriculata leaf extract in vitro through cell cycle arrest and induction of aptoptosis in human breast and Again it is allowed to boil for 5 minutes. Now, herbal tea larynx cancer cell lines. Cell Bio Int. 33 (2): 127-134. is ready to sip. Local inhabitants believe that it gives 8. Kumar, R.S.; Ponmozhi, M.; Nalini, M. (2002). Effect of relief from ailments such as stomach-ache, cooling and Cassia auriculata leaf extraction on lipids in rats with refreshing effect to the mind and body. alocoholic liver injury. Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr 11 (2): 157-163. Research Needs : In-spite of its several medicinal and 9. Purohit, A.; Maikhuri, R.K.; Nautiyal, S. (2002). industrial applications, the plant has neither been Revitalizing drink: an assessment of traditional exploited for commercial purpose nor studied for knowledge system in Bhotia community of Central academic research to unearth its commercial potential Himalaya, India. Indian J Tradit Knowl 1 (1): 72-80. and has remained an underutilized and under-exploited 9. Pankaj, G.J.; Dinesh, K.J.; Pankaj, S.P.; Pankaj, M.C.; legume in the country. There is also very limited Dheeraj, T.; Baviskar (2009). Antioxidant activity of ethyl acetate extract of Cassia auriculata leaves. J of information available on utilization of this indigenous Phar Res. 2 (9): 1412-1413. plant as local beverage, drinks, flavouring and 10. Lekha, P.K.; Lonsane, B.K. (1997). Production and masticator plant etc. (12). Research work on exploring application of tannin acyl hydrolase: state of the art. its medicinal values, phyto-chemical properties and Adv Appl Microbiol. 44: 215-260. various potential uses with value addition is required to 11. Siva, R.; Krishnamurthy, K.V. (2005). Isoenzyme popularise the species to generate revenue by the diversity in Cassia auriculata L. Afr J Biotec. 4 (8) : 772-775. farmers. This wonderful native plant has many