in watersheds in the drier parts of the country. It is propagated by seeds and vegetatively by
rootsuckers. Seed setting is usually in November. Seeds are soaked in water for few hours
before sowing. Raised seed beds of convenient size are prepared, well rotten cattle manure is
applied at 1kg/m^2 and seeds are uniformly broadcasted. The seeds are covered with a thin
layer of sand and irrigated. One month old seedlings can be transplanted into polybags, which
after one month can be planted in the field. Pits of size 50cm cube are dug at a spacing of 4-
5m, filled with top soil and manure and planted. Organic manure are applied annually.
Regular weeding and irrigation are required for initial establishment. The trees flower and
set fruits in 5 years. The harvest season extends from November- June. Pods are collected
and seeds are removed by hand. Seed, leaves, bark and root are used for medicinal purposes.
Bark can be collected after 10 years. No serious pests and diseases are reported in this crop.
Properties and Activity
The plant is rich in flavonoids and related compounds. Seeds and seed oil, flowers
and stem bark yield karanjin, pongapin, pongaglabrone, kanugin, desmethoxykanugin and
pinnatin. Seed and its oil also contain kanjone, isolonchocarpin, karanjachromene,
isopongachromene, glabrin, glabrachalcone, glabrachromene, isopongaflavone, pongol, 2’-
methoxy-furano[2”,3”:7,8]-flavone and phospholipids. Stem-bark gives pongachromene,
pongaflavone, tetra-O-methylfisetin, glabra I and II, lanceolatin B, gamatin, 5-methoxy-
furano[2”,3”:7,8]-flavone, 5-methoxy-3’,4’-methelenedioxyfurano[2”,3”:7,8]-flavone and α-
sitosterol. Heartwood yields chromenochalcones and flavones. Flowers are reported to
contain kanjone, gamatin, glabra saponin, kaempferol, γ-sitosterol, quercetin glycocides,
pongaglabol, isopongaglabol, 6-methoxy isopongaglabol, lanceolatin B, 5-methoxy-3’,4’-
methelenedioxyfurano[8,7:4”,5”]-flavone, fisetin tetramethyl ether, isolonchocarpin,
ovalichromene B, pongamol, ovalitenon, two triterpenes- cycloart- 23 - ene,3β,25 diol and
friedelin and a dipeptide aurantinamide acetate.
Roots and leaves give kanugin, desmethoxykanugin and pinnatin. Roots also yield a
flavonol methyl ether-tetra-O-methyl fisetin. The leaves contain triterpenoids,
glabrachromenes I and II, 3’-methoxypongapin and 4’-methoxyfurano[2”,3”:7,8]-flavone also.
The gum reported to yield polysaccharides (Thakur et al, 1989; Husain et al, 1992).
Seeds, seed oil and leaves are carminative, antiseptic, anthelmintic and antirheumatic.
Leaves are digestive, laxative, antidiarrhoeal, bechic, antigonorrheic and antileprotic. Seeds
are haematinic, bitter and acrid. Seed oil is styptic and depurative. Karanjin is the principle
responsible for the curative properties of the oil. Bark is sweet, anthelmintic and elexteric.