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Jatamamsi

Botanical Name(s): Nardostachys Jatamansi, Nardostachys Grandiflora
Family Name: Valerianaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Dipsacales
Family: Valerianaceae
Genus: Nardostachys
Species: N. grandiflora
Popular Name(s): Muskroot, Indian Spikenard, Jatamanshi, Jatamashi, Balchar, Nard, Nardin.
Parts Used: Rhizome, Rhizome Oil
Habitat: Found in India, Nepal and Bhutan

Description
Jatamamsi is a perennial herb that is propagated by cuttings of the underground parts. The plant grows to a height ranging from 10 to 60 cm and has stout and long woody root stocks. The long, sessile and oblong-ovate leaves are 15 to 20 cm in length. While the flowers are rosy, slightly pink or blue in dense cymes and one, two or five in number, the rhizomes are thick, fragrant and covered with brown fibers. The plant bears 1/3-inch long fruits that are oval in shape and have a sharp apex. Jatamamsi grows in the Alpine Himalayas, at an altitude of 3000-5000 meters and is cultivated in areas ranging from Punjab to Sikkim and Bhutan. The herb is known as jatamamsi in Hindi, Sanskrit and Gujarati.

Plant Chemicals
(+)- volatile essential oil, resin, sugar, starch, bitter extractive matter, gum, ketone, jatamansone, jatamansic acid, jatamansone semicarbazone, lupeol, malliene, calarene, terpenic coumarin - jatamansin, oroselol, dietheniod bicyclic ketone – nardostachone, sesquiterpene ketone - jatamansone.

Uses & Benefits of Jatamamsi
Caution