Semecarpus anacardium - Bhallataka - അലക്കു ചേര്

Botanical Name :

Semecarpus anacardium Lin. 

Family :

Anacardiaceae

Vernacular Names :

Malayalam : Thenkotta, Alakku cheru - അലക്കുചേര് 
English : Marking Nut, dhobi nut tree, Indian marking nut tree, Malacca bean, 
               Marany nut, marsh nut, oriental cashew nut, varnish tree 
Sanskrit : Agni mukhi, Aarushkkaram, Ashkkara, Bhallee, Veera vriksha, Arushkara, 
                 Bhallata, Bhallatakah - भल्लातकः   
Hindi : Bhilava, Bhilawa - भिलावां  

Bengali : Bhelaathuki, Bhallata -  ভল্লাত , Bhallataka - ভল্লাতক

Tamil : Tatamkottai, Scramkotati, Sen kottai - சேங்கொட்டை, 
             Compalam -சோம்பலம்  
Gujarathi : Bhilam, Bhilamo - ભિલામો,  Bhilamu - ભિલામું

Kannada : Bhallataka, Geru -ಗೇರ, Gerannina mara - ಗೇರಣ್ಣಿನ ಮರ

Telugu : Jeedi vithullu, Nallajidi, Nallajidiginga, Bhallatamu - భల్లాతము ,  
               Jidimamidichettu - జీడిమామిడిచెట్టు

Marathi : Bibba
Punjabi : Bhilawa
Oriya : Bhollataki, Bonebhalia, Bholai 
Konkani : Amberi - अंबेरी, Bibba - बिब्बा
Urdu : Baladur, Bhilavan, Billar
Assamese : Bhelaguti, Bhala - ভলা   
Nepali :  Bhalaayo - भलायो

Plant Description : 

Marking Nut is a moderate-sized deciduous tree with large stiff leaves.

Leaves are 7-24 inches long, 2-12 inches wide, obovate-oblong, rounded a t the tip.

Leaf base is rounded, heart-shaped or narrowed into the stalk, leathery in texture.

Flowers is small, borne in panicles shorter than the leaves.Flowers are greenish white.

Fruit is a drupe 1 inch long, ovoid or oblong, smooth and shining, black when ripe, seated on a fleshy cup.

The stem yields, by tapping, an acrid, viscid juice from which a varnish is prepared.

The nut yields a powerful and bitter substance used everywhere in India as a substitute for marking ink for clothes by washermen, hence it is frequently called Dhobi Nut. It gives a black colour to cotton fabrics, but before application it must be mixed with limewater as a fixator. The fruits are also used as a dye. 

Chemical Composition :  

It contains sweet oil,bitter and powerful astringent principle.Tarry oil consist oxy-acid named anacardiac acid,non-volatile alcohol called cardol.Vesicating oil 32% soluble in ether, which blackens on exposure of air. Other constituents are Dinitrohydrobhilawanol dimethyl ether,semecarpol and Bhilawanol.

Rasaadhi Gunaas :

Rasa : Katu, Madhuram, Kashayam

Guna : Theekshnnam, Snigdham, Lakhu

Veeryam : Ushnnam

Vipakam : Madhuram

Useful Parts :

Fruit

Seed

Indications :

01. Vata Kapha hara
02. Inflammation
03. Arthritis
04. Hemorrhoids
05. Obesity
06. Tumor
07. Cancer
08. Skin diseases 
09. Grahani

10. Gulma

11. Krimi

12. Kushtha. 
13. Strengthens Dhatwagni and Pachakaagni
14. Asthma 

Contraindication :

01. Bleeding disorders
02. Pregnant woman
03. Children
04. Inflammation of kidney
05. In summer season

Poisonous Effects :  
01. If Bhallataka takes in excess quantity then it is poisonous to our body.
02. It gives dark color to the urine.
03. Due to Bhallataka burning sensation is produced in our body.
04. Bhallataka produces patches, itching, diarrhea, wounds epilepsy and itching mainly on anus region or urethral region. 

Fatal dose and Fatal period :
Fatal dose is uncertain but considered to be about 10 gms.
It may produce death within 12 to 24 hrs. 

Antidote :
1. Oral intake of Symplocos laurina (Lodhra) kashaya.
2. The juice extracted from meghanada (Ameranthus tricolor) mixed with butter if applied locally subsides the swelling caused by Bhallataka.

Purification :
The seed of Bhallataka should be soaked in water and rubbed over a piece of brick till outer coating is removed.Then it should be washed with warm water. Thereafter these seeds should be tied in a piece of cloth in the form of pottali (round bolus) and cooked in “dholayantra” by adding cows milk for 3 hours.Thereafter, these sees should again be washed with warm water and dried.

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