Last Updated on February 16, 2024 by admin
Box Myrtle (Katphala) Tree Structure:
The trees of box myrtle (katphala) are found in warm regions of Himalayan, Utter Pradesh, Punjab and Assam in enough quantity. Its trees are 10 to 15 feet high. Bark of its tree is dusky and brown. Its leaves are sharp and long and fruits are round. There are two kinds of box myrtle (katphala)- black and white. The flowers of box myrtle (katphala) are small, red and fragrant, which blossom in clusters. Its fruits are round and less than one inch. Its ripe fruits are red (like blood) or brown with yellowness.
Its fruits are sour and sweet in taste, which cover with white substance. Brown and black spots present on this white cover. Its fruit has seeds which are very tasty and with wrinkle like Asiatic greevia (phalsa). Its bark is used to make ropes. Red box myrtle (katphala) is very useful to make medicines. The bark of its tree is called “Box myrtle (kayfal)”, which is used as medicine.
Box Myrtle (Katphala) Tree: Name in Different Languages
- English – Box myrtle
- Hindi – Katphal
- Sanskrit – Katphal
- Bengali – Katphal, Karyachhal
- Gujarati – Kayphal
- Marathi – Kumbha kayphal
- Kannada – Kirushivni eppiemara, Gaddad
- Malayalam – Pilm, Aalam
- Telugu – Uddal
- Persian – Darshishyan
- Arabic – Udulbark
- Latin – Myrica sapida, Miyostica meleberica
Box Myrtle (Katphala) Medicinal & Ayurvedic Properties:
Box myrtle is bitter, spicy and pungent in taste. It eliminates gas and brings out phlegm. It cures fever, asthma, anorexia, piles and spermatorrhoea, cough and throat diseases.
According to Ayurvedha-
- Juice of box myrtle (katphala) is bitter, pungent and spicy in taste and hot in nature.
- Its fruits become bitter after ripening.
- Box myrtle cures the diseases caused by vatta and phlegm.
- It is used for the treatment of headache, cold, catarrh, unconsciousness, epilepsy, cough and asthma. It also ends impotency.
According to Greek physicians–
- Box myrtle is hot and dry in nature.
- Its flowers’ oil is also hot and dry in nature.
- Rubbing this oil on the paralysis is very beneficial.
- This oil should be rubbed on the penis to end impotency. It also ends headache.
- Dripping this oil in the nose prevents bleeding from the nose or cures epistaxis.
According to Scientists–
- After analyzing the chemical structure of box myrtle (katphala), it is found that its bark contains 32 percent tannin and mirisietrin named glycoside.
- Box myrtle is stimulant and contractive.
- It destroys worms and brings out blocked phlegm from the chest.
- It is also useful to end heart problems and diarrhoea.
Box Myrtle (Katphala) Dosage:
Box Myrtle (Katphala) bark powder is used in 3 to 5 grams quantity.
Box Myrtle (Katphala) Uses and Benefits:
1. Sun-stroke: Mix sugar with juice of box myrtle (katphala) bark and give it to the patient to drink, it ends sun-stroke.
2. Sperm with urine: Mix juice of box myrtle (katphala) tree’s bark with coconut juice and give it to the patient for 7 days regularly, it prevents sperm with urine.
3. Burn from fire: Coating juice of box myrtle (katphala) tree’s bark on the affected part ends inflammation. Consequently, blisters do not appear.
4. Epilepsy: Grind box myrtle (katphala) with water and give it to patient, it cures epilepsy.
5. Tooth problems: Toothache ends by gargling with decoction of box myrtle (katphala) tree bark regularly. It also makes the teeth strong.
6. Felling cold: Rub fine powder of box myrtle (katphala) on the chest, stomach, hands and feet, it increases warmth in the body and ends cold.
7. Catarrh, cold, new catarrh:
- Smelling box myrtle (katphala) is useful to cure catarrh.
- Wrap fine powder of box myrtle (katphala) with a hanky and smell it again and again, it causes sneezing and makes the head light.
- Make a decoction by boiling box myrtle (katphala) and dry ginger with water thereafter give it to the patient because it cures catarrh.
8. Diarrhoea:
- Mix equal quantity of the bengle quince powder and powder of box myrtle (katphala) together and after that give one spoon this mixture to the patient thrice a day, it prevents diarrhoea.
- The patient, who has been suffering from diarrhoea, should take a decoction of box myrtle (katphala) tree’s bark because it prevents frequent loose motions.
9. Ear pain: Boil box myrtle (katphala) with oil and drip its 1 to 2 drops in the ear, it gets rid of ear pain.
10. Otorrhoea: Clean the ears properly with the help of a cotton piece thereafter boil box myrtle (katphala) with oil and drip some drops of this oil in the ears 3-4 times a day. Using this process is useful to cure otorrhoea.
11. Chronic swelling of the ears: Prepare oil by boiling box myrtle (katphala) and drip 2-3 drops of this oil in the ears 3-4 times a day, it ends chronic swelling and otorrhoea.
12. Asthma or breathing problems:
- Make the powder by grinding equal quantity of box myrtle (katphala), orrisa root, galls, nut grass, dry ginger, black pepper, small pepper and long zedoary together thereafter filter it. After that, take this powder with ginger juice and honey, it brings phlegm out and cures asthma. It is also useful to cure cough, vomiting, anorexia, pain and vatta disorders.
- Mix sugar in juice of box myrtle (katphala) tree’s bark then give it to the patient to drink, it cures asthma and breathing problems.
- Make a decoction by boiling dry ginger and box myrtle (katphala) powder with water thereafter give it to the patient twice or thrice a day, it provides relief in asthma.
- Make the powder by grinding equal quantity of box myrtle (katphala), dry ginger, orrisa root, galls, clerodendron serratum (Bharangi) and small pepper together. After that, take 6 to 10 grams of this powder with honey, it cures asthma and cough caused by phlegm.
13. Fever of vatta-pitta: Make the powder by grinding equal quantity of box myrtle (katphala), orrisa root, galls, caraway, small fennel, dry ginger, black pepper and small pepper together. Licking 3 grams this powder with ginger juice or honey twice or thrice a day cures fever caused by vatta and pitta. It also cures cough, anorexia, hiccups, vomiting and vatta disorders too.
14. Fever: 1 gram powder of box myrtle (katphala) should be given to the patient with water before coming fever because fever does not occur by using this process.
15. Pyorrhoea: Grind box myrtle (katphala) with vinegar and rub it on the gums for 5 minutes twice a day, it destroys the tooth germs and cures pyorrhoea.
16. Prolapsus ani: Wash the child anus with decoction of box myrtle (katphala) and mix pure ghee or sesamem oil with powder of box myrtle (katphala) then apply it on the child anus. Using this process cures prolapsus ani.
17. Sterility: Make the powder by grinding box myrtle (katphala) and filter it. Mix equal quantity sugar in this powder and store it. Give one grip this powder to the suffered woman for three days after menstrual excretion and make sexual relationship at fourth day. Using this process ends sterility and embryo exists in the uterus. The woman should take only milk and rice in meals.
18. Conceive: Make the powder by grinding 25 grams box myrtle (katphala) thereafter mix 25 grams sugar in it. After that, give 10 grams this mixture to the suffered woman with water in the morning after menstrual excretion regularly for about 5 days regularly. It is helpful in conceive.
19. Piles:
- Make a paste by mixing ghee, camphor and asafetida with fine powder of box myrtle (katphala). After that, apply this paste on piles moles, it dries the moles and cures them too.
- Mix ghee with powder of box myrtle (katphala) tree bark and apply it on the piles moles, it cures piles.
20. Swelling: Grind box myrtle (katphala) on a stone piece and apply it on affected part, it reduces swelling and gets rid of pain due to hurt and sprain.
21. Wound:
- If someone has been suffering from chronic wounds, wash the affected parts with decoction of box myrtle (katphala) thereafter apply its powder on the affected parts and tie bandage upon it. It is useful to cure wound quickly.
- Grind equal quantity of box myrtle (katphala), winter cherry, helle- bore, lodh, liqourica, madder root and flowers of downy grislea with water. After that, coat this mixture on the affected part consequently, the ulcer bursts after maturating and dries it too.
- Make a decoction by boiling bark of box myrtle (katphala) tree and wash the affected part, it provides relief wounds.
- A type of substance like wax is received by boiling box myrtle (katphala). This wax should be applied on the affected parts because it cures wounds.
22. Fever and cough of parturient: Grind 10 grams box myrtle (katphala) and filter it. After that, give half to 2 grams this preparation to the parturient woman twice a day, it cures fever and cough.
23. Diabetes: If the diabetes patient has been suffering from excessive sweat, he should rub powder of box myrtle (katphala) on the body because it reduces sweat quantity.
24. Nose swelling: Boil box myrtle (katphala) and extract oil from it. Drip 2-3 drops of this oil in the nose and also rub it on the nose 3-4 times a day, it ends nose swelling.
25. Nose diseases: Washing the nose pimples with decoction of box myrtle (katphala) cures pimples and gets rid of pain too.
26. Cracked breast:
- Make a paste by grinding box myrtle (katphala) and heat it. After that, coat this paste on the affected parts regularly, it is useful to cure sores of nipples.
- Rubbing pure oil of box myrtle (katphala) on the breast is useful to cure sores due to cracked nipples.
27. Vaccinate infection:
- If someone has been suffering from sore or swelling caused by peptic injection, he should wash the affected parts with decoction of box myrtle (katphala) because it ends sores and swelling.
- Giving oil of box myrtle (katphala) to the patient daily is useful to cure all the types of problems of injection infection.
28. Arthritis:
- Rubbing oil of box myrtle (katphala) on the bones gets rid of arthritis pain.
- The patient should massage the fingers and feet with oil of box myrtle (katphala) because it provides relief in pain.
29. Vagina tumour: Make the powder by grinding equal quantity of box myrtle (katphala), mango stone, ruddle and turmeric together thereafter mix honey in it. Putting this mixture in the vagina is useful to cure tumour.
30. Nail sores: If someone has been suffering from wounds and inflammation of the nails, he should drip oil of box myrtle (katphala) on the affected parts because it cures sores and inflammation of the nails.
31. Epilepsy:
- Smelling box myrtle (katphala) is useful to end fits caused by epilepsy.
- Grind fine box myrtle (katphala), contipeda orbicularis (Nakchikanui) and dry fruits of wild egg plants about 6 grams each and 40 grams tobacco together. After that, give 2 grams this mixture to the patient to smell daily, it ends epilepsy fits.
32. Insanity: Mix box myrtle (katphala), sesame oil and karjjva together thereafter cast it in patient nose because it is very useful to end insanity.
33. Cracked heels: Applying ground box myrtle (katphala) on the cracked heels provides relief.
34. Vincent anziena: Gargling with a decoction of box myrtle (katphala) 3-4 times a day is useful to get relief in Vincent anziema.
35. Headache: This disease is cured by giving box myrtle (katphala) to the patient to smell.
36. Collapsing stage: Mix dry ginger powder with box myrtle (katphala) and rub it on the feet and soles, it makes the body warmth normal consequently, collapsing stage does not occur. It also reduces over quantity of sweat.
37. Scrofula: Make a decoction by boiling box myrtle (katphala) with dry ginger and give it to the patient twice or thrice a day regularly, it cures scrofula.
38. Throat diseases: Chewing box myrtle (katphala) with betel-leaf reduces throat heaviness.
39. Cough:
- Make a decoction by boiling equal quantity of box myrtle (katphala), nut grass, coriander, clerodendron serratum, chiretta, galls, fine leaved fumitory, myrobalan, orris root, cedar and dry ginger with water and take. It is useful to cure cough, fever, asthma and throat diseases. It also brings out phlegm.
- Grind box myrtle (katphala) and galls 3 grams each together and give it to the patient with honey. It is useful for treatment of asthma.
- The patient, who suffers cough, should take juice of box myrtle (katphala) tree’s bark with honey for 7 days regularly because it cures cough.
40. Hiccup: Boil box myrtle (katphala), myrobalan, orris root, coriander, nut grass, galls, dry ginger, cedar, fine leaved fumitory and clerodendron serratum 1 grams each with eighth folds water until it remains ¼ parts then put it down and filter. After that, give this decoction to the patient. It provides relief in all the types of hiccups.
41. Toothache: Grind box myrtle (katphala) with vinegar and apply it on the teeth, it ends toothache.
42. Cholera:
- If the hand and feet of the patient become cold, mix equal quantity of powder of box myrtle (katphala) and dry ginger together thereafter rub it on the hands, feet and soles. Using this process provides relief in cholera.
- Make the powder by grinding equal quantity of dry ginger and box myrtle (katphala) together and rub it on the hands and feet because it cures spasm and provides warmth.
- If the cholera patient suffers from excessive chilliness of the body, rub powder of box myrtle (katphala) on the hands, feet and calves, it provides body warmth and also provides relief in cholera.
43. Scrofula: This disease is cured by applying fine powder of box myrtle (katphala).
Box Myrtle (Katphala) Side Effects:
Precautions: Using over quantity of box myrtle (katphala) is harmful for the liver and spleen. It also may be the cause of vomiting.
इस लेख का हिंदी अनुवाद यहाँ पढ़ें ☛ कायफल (कट्फल) के 43 चमत्कारी फायदे, उपयोग और दुष्प्रभाव
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new herbal treatment.
