Witnessed by: Ayurveda
Child life tree (Putranjiva roxburghii), of the Putranjivaceae (formerly Euphorbiaceae) family. Evergreen tree with drooping branches and glossy serrate leaves; native range: the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, common in the sub-Himalayan tracts and moist deciduous forest. Globally recognized as putranjiva · putrajiva in Sanskrit, putajan · jiaputa in Hindi, and child life tree · lucky bean tree · Indian amulet plant in English. The part used is seed, leaf, fruit. Hard, ribbed grey stones within a soft violet drupe, faintly bitter and astringent on the tongue.
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.
CHILD LIFE TREE
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- child life tree
- Scientific name
- Putranjiva roxburghii Wall.
- Family
- Putranjivaceae (formerly Euphorbiaceae)
Form
- Part used
- seed, leaf, fruit
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- astringent · bitter (kashaya , tikta)
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- cooling (sheeta)
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- garbhasthapana (steadies pregnancy), mutrala (diuretic), kaphavata-hara, dahaprashamana (relieves burning), vishaghna
Cautions
- Contraindications
- held to be a mild and safe drug; large doses of the seed avoided
- Toxicity
- the seed is faintly purgative and may loosen the bowel in excess
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