Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Unani
Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara), of the Pinaceae family. Tall evergreen conifer with drooping branches and needle clusters; native range: the western Himalaya, in high mountain forests. Globally recognized as devadaru in Sanskrit, deodar in Hindi, diyar in Arabic, and deodar, Indian cedar in English. The part used is heartwood and its oil. Oily, resinous heartwood of a warm balsamic scent, bitter and pungent to the taste.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
HIMALAYAN CEDAR
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Himalayan cedar
- Scientific name
- Cedrus deodara (Roxb. ex D.Don) G.Don
- Family
- Pinaceae
Form
- Part used
- heartwood and its oil
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- bitter · pungent (tikta, katu)
- Unani
- bitter · pungent
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna)
- Unani
- hot & dry (3rd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Unani
- joints · nerves · skin
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- vata-kapha-hara, dipana (digestive), shothahara (anti-inflammatory), krimighna (anthelmintic), medohara (reduces fat) and mutrala (diuretic)
- Unani
- muhallil (resolvent), musakkin-e-alam (analgesic), mudir-e-baul (diuretic), jali (detergent)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- high pitta and heat states, acidity and bleeding tendencies
- Toxicity
- the oil is irritant undiluted; large internal doses may over-heat
This is the card. Sign in for the full four-tradition entry — the aligned TCM · Ayurveda · Western · Unani reading, actions, dosing and cautions.