My mom says Harsingar is good for joint pains! Here are more health benefits of these fragrant flowers

Harsingar, also commonly known as night-flowering jasmine or Parijat, is a flowering tree which is very famous for its aromatic flowers. The flower has white colored petals and an orange stem and these flowers fall from the tree every morning. So, next time you see the ground filled with white and orange, in your neighborhood, know that it is Harsingar.

Except for the aroma that can be smelt from miles away and the quality that it literally showers flowers every morning, Harsingar has many health benefits too. I recently saw my mom collecting these flowers every morning, from the ground, and bringing them to our house. When I asked her what she was up to, she answered, “I am going to boil these in mustard oil and then use that oil to massage my shoulders. These are supposed to be good for joint pains.”

When after a few days, her shoulder pain actually got better, I was stumped and researched about the benefits of Harsingar.

According to a study published on Researchgate, “Harsingar plants exhibit a number of medicinal values like anti-allergic, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic, due to the presence of some phytochemical components and hence, the plant is very useful in different health problems.” The research also says that Harsingar is widely used in treatment of bronchitis, arthritis, asthma, cough, heartburn, nausea, sciatica, rheumatism, constipation, etc.

From leaves to the roots, the whole Harsingar plant is very useful for various healing properties. It is a wonderful plant in Ayurveda and known for its number of health benefits.

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Here are the medicinal uses and benefits of various parts of Harsingar plant:

A research by Santosh Srivastava of University of Allahabad, outlines the following benefits of Harsingar

Uses of leaves

The leaves of the Harsingar plant have been used to treat a different kind of fever, cough, arthritis, worm infestation, etc. The leaves juice is bitter and works as a tonic. Its kadha (decoction made by boiling the leaves in water) is excellent for arthritis, constipation, worm infestation. The leaves decoction has significant aspirin like properties thus helpful to manage the fever. It cures various nauseous types of fever including malaria, dengue, and chikungunya fevers.

Uses of flowers

The flowers of Harsingar work wonderfully for gastric complaints and respiratory complaints. They work as a hair tonic and are used to strengthen the hairs and prevent hair fall. It also helps to prevent graying of hairs and other scalp related problems. One of the major health benefits of Night-flowering jasmine is that it can control high blood sugar levels. Previous studies suggest that Parijat flower extract has a potent anti-diabetic effect. Parijat flowers and leaves act as an immune-stimulator to boost the immunity due to the presence of ethanol in it.

Uses of stem, seed and bark

The powder of Harsingar stem is very useful in joint pain and malaria. The seeds of the plant help in hair loss and alopecia (baldness). The seeds of Harsingar are also used in the treatment of piles. If its bark is eaten with paan, it can cure cough while the seeds are mainly good for skin and hair.

Also read: I saw my mom using Aak plant oil, and she says it works like magic for her knee pain

If we look up Ayurveda solutions, the answer to most of our health problems is in the form of a tree, so give Harsingar a try and relive your pain!