Harsingar : Night jasmine

Harsingar is also known by many names such as night jasmine, paarijat. Its botanical name is Nyctanthes arbor-tristis. There are many medicinal use of this tree, some of them are.

• For sciatica :
take 3-4 leaves and grind them and boil with water and drain and drink twice in day.
• For swelling and pain:
Boil leaves in water to make decoction and drink.

• For arthritis, Swelling in knee joints:
Take leaves, bark, flower about 5 gm and make decoction with 200 gm of water. Decoction is said to be formed when water reduces to ¼ of initial quantity.

• For dry cough:
Grind leaves in mortar and pestle to extract juice and take it with honey.
• For intestinal parasites
Grind leaves in mortar and pestle to extract 2 tbs of juice and take it with misri and water.

• For ring worm:
Apply paste of leaves on affected area.

• For fever:
Take 3 gm bark and 2 gm leaves with 2-3 leaves of tulsi and boil in water and drink 2 times a day.
• Its leaves are also blend into a paste and used in skin related troubles, especially ringworm.
• The fresh leaves are boiled in mustard oil and used externally for treating ringworm.
• The seeds are crushed and the aqueous paste is applied externally on the piles. They are also useful in treating baldness, scurvy and affections of the scalp.
• Patients with gynaecological problems are advised to take 3 fresh night jasmine leaves, with 5 black peppers.
• The decoction of its seeds is used as a hair tonic. Washing hair daily with this tonic helps to get rid of dandruff and lice.
• Coral jasmine is also used to treat anxiety, restlessness, headaches, gastritis, hepatitis, diarrhoea, vertigo and dysmenorrhoea.

External Uses
• Night jasmine also has several external uses, both therapeutic and cosmetic. Grind the leaves into a paste and apply it to fungal skin infections, or boil the leaves in mustard oil and apply it to areas affected by ringworm.
• A decoction of the seeds is a useful hair tonic that can manage dandruff and lice when used daily. Use the same recipe as for the leaves, but boil the mixture for ten minutes instead of five.
• Crushing the seeds into a paste makes a useful treatment for piles.
• To eradicate dark circles under your eyes, crush the flowers and add them to curd.
• Apply the mixture to the affected area, being careful not to get it in the eye, and leave it for ten minutes before rinsing it off with cold water.