Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Unani
Chilgoza pine (Pinus gerardiana), of the Pinaceae family. Tall pine with grey scaly bark and stiff needles in threes; native range: dry inner ranges of the north-west Himalaya, from Afghanistan and Pakistan into Kinnaur. Globally recognized as nikochaka in Sanskrit, chilgoza in Hindi, hab-us-sanaubar (حب الصنوبر) in Arabic, and chilgoza pine nut, neja pine in English. The part used is seed kernel (nut). Long cylindrical kernels in a hard shell, oily and sweet with a soft resinous pine flavour.
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.
CHILGOZA PINE
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Chilgoza pine
- Scientific name
- Pinus gerardiana Wall. ex D.Don
- Family
- Pinaceae
Form
- Part used
- seed kernel (nut)
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- sweet (madhura)
- Unani
- sweet
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna)
- Unani
- hot & moist (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Unani
- brain · nerves · kidneys
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- brimhana (nourishing and building), vrishya (aphrodisiac), balya (tonic), vata-hara, medhya (nervine)
- Unani
- muqawwi-e-badan (general tonic), muqawwi-e-bah (aphrodisiac), muqawwi-e-dimagh (brain tonic), musmin (fattening)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- high kapha, obesity and sluggish weak digestion
- Toxicity
- heavy and hard to digest, cloying in excess
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