Pongamia pinnata

Singh, A., Bhatt, G., Gujre, N., Mitra, S., Swaminathan, R., Limaye, A. M. & Rangan, L., 2021, Karanjin, Phytochemistry (112641) 183, pp. 1-13 : 5

5.1. Pongamia pinnata

Pongamia pinnata (synonyms: Millettia pinnata , Cytisus pinnatus , Derris indica , Pongamia glabra ; common names: Karanj, Indian Beech Tree, Honge Tree, Pongam Tree) is a perennial oleaginous legume (Leguminosae) with nitrogen-fixing capability and medicinal properties. This plant is native to the Indian subcontinent and grows on marginal land with no direct competition with food crops. It can thrive in areas with annual rainfall ranging from 500 to 2500 mm with the maximum temperature ranging from 27 to 38 ◦ C and the minimum from 1 to 16 ◦ C (Sangwan et al., 2010). Mature trees can withstand waterlogging, slight frost, and high salinity. It is used to control soil erosion and for binding dunes because of its dense network of lateral roots. The long thick taproot makes it drought tolerant. P. pinnata can be successfully propagated through seeds and cuttings as well ( Kesari et al., 2010). Historically, P. pinnata has been used as a folk medicinal plant, particularly in Ayurveda and Siddha system of Indian medicine ( Bholane and Hiremath, 2020). It is well known for its high seed oil content, and almost all parts of the plant find wide and diverse applications ( Fig. 4 ). Due to its multiple utility, P. pinnata has gained much attention from scientists and thus encouraged them towards the development of potential therapeutics (Supplementary Table 1 ) ( Al Muqarrabun et al., 2013).

Figures

Fig. 4. Important uses of different parts of Pongamia pinnata.