Cajuput

The scientific name of Cajuput: Melaleuca leucadendron Linn

Name of Cajuput in different languages:-

English: Cajuput, Fine leaf melaleuca

Hindi: Shitanshu-शीतांशु, Vishaha-विशाहा 

Sanskrit: Kayaputi

Malayalam: Kajaputhi, Kayaputi

Tamil: kaiyapputai-கையாப்புடை 

Plant description:

It is a large sized tree, with a thick spongy bark, peeling off in layers, and pendulous branches; or stunted and with stiff erect branches. Leaves are often vertical, alternate, elliptic or lanceolate, straight oblique or falcate, 3-7 nerved, acuminate, acute or obtuse, narrow and more rigid. Flowers spikes, long interrupted solitary or 2 or 3 together in terminals at first and then surmounted by leafy branches, rachis and calyx glabrous or wooly. Fruit is sessile, cylindrical, short.

Leaf Arrangement

Shape-Long	Margin-Entire	Venation-parallel

Useful plant parts:

Leaves, twigs, bark and essential oil

Medicinal uses:

It is used internally in the treatment of bronchitis, laryngitis, diarrhea and flatulence. Externally it is applied for the earache, rheumatism and skin diseases, all kinds of pains, internal and external. Used for rheumatic affections, toothache, neuralgia, sprains and bruises, in choleraic diarrhea, psoriasis, acene and eczema.

Chemical contents:

Essential oil containing cajuputol identical with eucalyptol. 

Bark contain: Resinol melaleucin, leaves and stems: Betulin, friedelin, uvaol, sitosterol, epitaraxeryl acetate and taraxastenone.

Medicinal properties:

Antiinflammatory. Oil is antiseptic, anticonvulsant, anti-colic, and powerful antipyretic. It is anthelmintic, stimulant, carminative, expectorant, and rubefacient.