Sudarshana (Crinum latifolium) – Uses & Health Benefits

Introduction about Crinum

Crinum is a genus of about 180 species comprising family of various beautiful perennial plants. They are good for decoration, gardens, bouquets and also known as various types of Lilies like Spider lily, Trumpet lily, and Swamp lily and so on. Crinum is basically a tropical plant growing in Asia, South East Asia, Australia, Pacific islands and spread up to Caribbean, Florida and Louisiana.

In Ayurveda, Crinum latifolium is known as “Sudarshana” or Sukhdarshan. It means it gives you peace and happiness just by its darshana (Seeing it). Ayurvedic literature dates back to 5000 BC and Sushruta has described Crinum defixum (Kandali). Ayurveda uses this plant mainly for Painful swellings, Fevers of unexplained origin, Poisoning and skin ailments.

Morphology of Sudarshana Plant

A small plant that grows up to 3 feet contains big green leaves to a length – 2-4 inch with 3-4 inch width. It grows all over the India.

The flowers are beautiful, white in color with pinkish tinge. Flowering stems are stout, about 2-3 mm in height.

Fruits are round, 2-3 inch in diameter with 8-10 seeds inside.

Latin Name – Crinum latifolium
Family – Amarylidaceae
Habitat – South Asia, South East Asia, Caribbean countries, Australia, Fiji, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Louisiana, Florida and other tropical countries.

Sanskrit Synonyms

Bhavprakash in 17th Century has used following synonyms for Sudarshana.

Somvalli, Madhuparnika, Chakravaha

Other Sanskrit Synonyms of Sudarshan

Nagdaman – The big wide leaves resemble a snake hood.
Medhi – It improves memory.
Rakt Pushpi – Pink Striped trumpet lily is another name in English for Crinum latifolium, which is Sudarshana. Crinum asiaticum has white flowers.
Ratnamala – Because the flowers are beautiful and grow from umbel in a circular pattern
Vishamandal – Because the leaves juice (10-20 ml dosage) can be used as emetic and purgative to get rid of ingested poison.
Vritt Pushpa – Because the flowers grow in a circular pattern.
Kandali – Sushruta described Crinum defixum as this plant.
Jambu – The fruit resembles Jambu fruit i.e. Java apple or Jamun. The fruit also resembles onion bulb.
Dudarshana – It’s also called Dudarshan, as the crushed fruit gives foul smell.
Chakravaha – Because the flowers grow on umbels and in circular pattern.
Madhuparnika – The leaves taste sweet and bitter

English Names of Sudarshana

Wide Leaved Pink Striped Trumpet Lily (Crinum latifolium), Spider Lily for Crinum asiaticum

Names in Other Languages

Hindi Names – Chinder, Kanwar, Kunwal, Pindar, Barakanwar
Urdu Name – Nagdaun
Marathi – Gadambi Kanda
Bengali – Bada Kanod, Sukha Darshana, Gaerhonar Patta
Kannada – Sudarshana, Visha Mungli
Tamil – Visha Pungil, Vishamungil, Perumanarivingaayam,
Telugu – Kesara Chettu
Philippines – Lirio

Ayurvedic Energetics and Properties

Rasa (Taste) – Sweet, Bitter (Madhur, Tikt)
Virya (Potency) – Ushana (Hot)
Vipaka (Post Digestion property) – Sweet (Madhur)
Guna (Inherent Properties) – Ruksha, Tikshana (Dry, Pungent)

Part Used

Leaves
Root

Leaves Juice

10-15 ml as strong emetic, purgative in case of poisoning. (Juice is easier to extract from leaves if they are warmed.)

Usage – External application.

Benefits and Uses of Crinum Latifolium Leaves Juice

Ear Infections – In case of ear pain, swelling inside ear, acne inside ear – the leaves juice can be instilled 3-5 drops twice to thrice daily. Make an oil crushing herbs like ferula narthex (Asafoetida or Hing), Ginger, Basil (Tulsi) Turmeric, Garlic, Onion, Sudarshan leaves, Neem leaves and Sudarshan leaves juice. (Boil all the herbs in water, when 1/4th of decoction is left, strain it) and mix it with equal quantity of oil. Boil both the oil and the decoction together until all the water evaporates and you are left with this strong pain relieving, anti-inflammatory oil can be named as “SUDARSHANA OIL” (Just named by me i.e. Dr. Vikram Chauhan, while typing this article. The same oil can be used as anti- inflammatory for joint pains.
Lice and other parasites (Scabies) – The leaves juice is a strong anti-lice and anti-scabies. It’s also excellent for dandruff when used by mixing in lemon juice.
In painful joints – In case of Rheumatoid arthritis and other inflamed joints, the leaves as it is can be tied over the swellings. The leaves juice can be mixed with Castor oil to massage the swollen joints in case of osteoarthritis. The above mentioned “Sudarshana Oil” can be mixed in Castor oil (Equal quantity) for painful joints. Planet Ayurveda Orthovita Oil can also be mixed in equal quantity in above mentioned oils.
The leaves can be tied over painful pustules or furuncles (Baaltod) to cook them and take out open up the pores so that the pus oozes out of them and relieves the pain.
The leaves can be dried, burnt and the ash can be applied over painful Pile mass. This will help to relieve the swelling and pain of Piles mass. The Piles Care Pack of Planet Ayurveda can be used along with it. The rhizome can be applied directly over the pile mass – 2 to 3 grams, mixed with coconut oil.
In small quantity – 2 ml juice per day can be given internally to kill the worms in the abdomen. It has been proven to be more effective than Albendazole in 1 study.
The skin problems like Eczema, fungal infections like Pityriasis versicolor, ringworm etc. respond very well to leaves juice of Sudarshana.
Crinum latifolium leaves juice can be applied over skin, mix it with equal quantity of aloe vera get to use it as a mosquito repellant. Crinum leaves juice can be sometimes irritating to someone’s skin but usually it’s good for skin, that’s why mix with Aloe vera.
Poisoning – In case of ingested Poison where emesis and purgation has to be induced, 10-15 ml juice of leaves of Crinium latifolium or Crinum asiaticum is used. This induces vomiting immediately and helps the poison to be thrown out of body and preventing it from entering the body.

Benefits and Uses of Crinum Latifolium Root Extract

The rhizome extract of Crinium latifolium is used in dosage of 500 mg 2 to 4 times a day internally to get the benefits.

Swellings and inflammation – In painful swellings, Joint inflammations, lymph nodes swellings (Kapha-Vata disorders – All disorders affecting the lymph glands), Rheumatoid arthritis swellings, can respond very well to the capsules made from root extract of Crinum latifolium.
Prostate inflammation or enlargement – Any growth in the body responds very well to treatment done by Crinum latifolium rhizome extract
Menopause – Crinum Rhizome extract also helps to control the hormonal imbalance and reduce swelling and water retention in the body. It helps to control the hot flushes as well as other symptoms in Menopause.
Fevers – In Ayurveda, Sudarshana is the main herb for reducing the fevers. The fevers of unknown origin respond very well to the extract of Sudarshana. Popular herbal formulation called “Sudarshana Ghan Vati” or Sudarshan Kwath” is used by Ayurvedic doctors all over the world to treat fever and malaise in any case.
Pain Relief – Sudarshan Extract capsules or tablets or Kwath (Decotion) help to reduce the pain caused by Vata Imbalance (Bone pain or any pains), Malaise, Myalgia and fever due to unknown origin. Sudarshan Kwath can be used along with Amritarishta or Giloy water extract capsules and Kalmegh (Indian Echinacea) capsules. All these can be used together to relieve the fever and malaise, lethargy associated with it.
Recurrent E. coli infections also respond very well to treatment with Sudarshana Kwath or Sudarshana Ghan vati. I am however using Varunadi Vati, Chandanadi Vati, Rencure formula, Mutrakrichantak Churna and such herbs to treat recurrent E.coli infections.