Witnessed by: Ayurveda
Curry leaf (Murraya koenigii), of the Rutaceae family. Small aromatic tree or shrub with pinnate glossy leaves; native range: hill forests and plains of the Indian subcontinent. Globally recognized as surabhinimba, krishnanimba in Sanskrit, kadhi patta, mitha neem in Hindi, and curry leaf, sweet neem in English. The part used is leaves (also root and bark). Dark shining leaflets releasing a warm citrus-spice aroma when bruised; taste pungent, bitter and lightly astringent.
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.
CURRY LEAF
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- curry leaf
- Scientific name
- Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng.
- Family
- Rutaceae
Form
- Part used
- leaves (also root and bark)
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- pungent · bitter · astringent (katu, tikta, kashaya)
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna)
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- dipana-pachana (kindles and completes digestion), grahi (absorbent astringent), krimighna (anthelmintic), chardighna (antiemetic), kushthaghna (clears skin disease)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- caution in pitta-predominant heat and hyperacidity owing to its warming pungency
- Toxicity
- a common food herb, safe at culinary and medicinal dose
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