Punga Poo – Pongamia pinnata: Benefits, Uses & Side Effects

The punga poo is scientifically known as Pongamia pinnata. It is a multipurpose leguminous tree that has non-edible oil. The punga poo is also known as Karanja. India is the native of this tree, and it is widely distributed in northern Australia, south-east Asia, and Indonesia.

This plant is naturally grown in the rocky outcrops on the coast and the lowland forest on limestone. The punga poo has the high nutritious value of micro and macronutrients, such as phosphorus, nitrogen, calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron, and copper and the Pongamia oil is rich in fatty acid.

Moreover, punga poo is an excellent fertilizer in organic agriculture. This herb plays a vital role in ancient Indian medicine. Due to the insecticidal property of this plant, it is used as insects and pests control, and also it is used in the pharmacy and as the biofuel.

Other Names Of Punga Poo
Indian beech, Pongamia pinnata, Karanj, Pongam oil tree, Karajata, Honge, Kanuga, Pungai, Naktamala, Karach, Sukh Chain, Magul karanda, Karanjaka, Ghrtakarauja, Dahara, Naktahva, Korach, Natakaranja, Naktamala, Hulagilu, Kanaji, Kantaki, Karanja.

In This Article

History of Punga Poo

Medicinal Properties of Punga Poo

Traditional Uses of Punga Poo

How to Use Punga Poo

Punga Poo Plant Description

Benefits of Punga Poo

Side Effects of Punga Poo

Common Names Of Punga Poo

Botanical Name: Pongamia pinnata

English Name: Poonga-Oil Tree

Tamil Name:  Poona, Puggam, Punka, Pungai (புங்கை), Punku

Hindi Name: Karnja, Pongam

Malayalam Name: Ungam, Pungam

Telugu Name: Kānuga (కానుగ), Ganuga

Kannada Name: Honge bīja (ಹೊಂಗೆ ಬೀಜ), Honge (ಹೊಂಗೆ), Hulagilu

Marathi Name: Karanja

Gujarati Name: Kanaji, Kanajo

Punjabi Name: Karanj

Oriya Name: Karanja

Sanskrit Name: Naktamāla (नक्तमाल), Karanja

Assamese Name: Korach

Urdu Name: Karanj

History And Adaptation Of Punga Poo

The native of this Pongamia pinnata or pongam tree is a tropical and sub-tropical region. This tree was first introduced to Hawaii in the year 1860, and it did not reach the U.S continents until 50 years.

Then Sri Lanka gave the seeds of this tree to the U.S Department of agriculture. In the U.S, the first punga poo tree was grown in Florida in the Dr. David Fairchild yards. In the next six years, the USDA receives the seeds from India, Mauritius, and Egypt.

The punga poo trees can easily adapt and live in between the natural challenges. The adaptation of this plant helps the lateral root network that resists the extreme soil erosion. This tree requires a very little amount of water to survive.

This tree is drought-resistant and the thick trunk of this tree helps to withstand heavy wind. This punga poo tree easily tolerates the high salinity so that it can be grown in different bodies of water.

Punga Poo Plant Description

The punga poo is a medium-sized evergreen tree. This tree reaches up to 15 to 25-meter height with the spreading or drooping branches. The trunk of this tree is straight and crooked, and the diameter of this trunk is 50 cm.

This trunk is covered with the grey-greyish brown bark, usually which is smooth and vertically fissured. The root of this tree has a thick and deep taproot, which has several secondary lateral roots. The branches are spreading in the broad hemispherical crown form with dark green leaves.

The branchlets are hairless with the pale stipule scars. The leaves are alternatively arranged on the stem. The leaves are pinnately compound, and it is alternate 5-7 leaflets. The leaflets are ovate-elliptical in shape, and it is pointed at the tip.

The length of the leaves are 5-10 cm, and the width is 4-6 cm. The length of the inflorescence is 6-27 cm. The fragrant flowers of this tree are lavender, pink white in color, and the pubescent of the flower is 15-18 mm long.

The fruit of this tree is an elliptical pod; the length of the pods is 3-6 cm, and the width is 2-3 cm. Each pod has 1-2 seeds, which resemble a bean. The length of the seeds is 1.5-2.5 cm, and the width is 1.2-2.0 cm.

The seeds are in dark brown color. The seeds are thick-walled, leathery to semi-woody, which is compressed with the brittle coat.

Medicinal Properties Of Punga Poo

Antimicrobial Property

The punga poo oil has the antimicrobial property that effectively fights against the Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The minimum inhibitory concentration of this herb will effectively carry out these bacterias by the determination and dry weight method.

This herb is used to find the natural bioactive products that lead to the development of new pharmaceuticals, which specifies the hither to the needed unmet therapeutic. Some studies prove this punga poo helps to establish some components that form new and more potent antimicrobial medicine.

Antiulcer property

The aqueous extract of the punga poo root helps to reduce the acid output, gastric juice, and peptic activity without any effect on the mucin activity in the acetylsalicylic acid. Moreover, the methanolic extract of this herb has an antiulcer impact so that it helps to reduce the risk of ulcers.

The methanol extract of this herb has the mucosal defensive effect, such as mucosal cells life span, mucin secretion, mucosal cell glycoproteins, prevention of lipid peroxidation, and cell proliferation. The changes in the fructose and hexose content of the carbohydrate helps to find the mucin activity.

Antiplasmodial property

The vitro examined the ethanol extract of the punga poo for its antiplasmodial property that will effectively fight against the plasmodium falciparum. The ethanol extract of the punga poo has a significant antiplasmodial property.

Antidiarrhoeal Property

The crude leaf extract of the punga poo leaves has a high level of antimicrobial property because of the action of enterotoxins.

The leaves extract does not have the anti-giardia, antibacterial, and anti-rotaviral property, but it will help to reduce the cholera toxin production and also it reduces the invasion of bacteria to the epithelial cells. The punga poo extract has a particular antidiarrhoeal property that will effectively fight against cholera.

Antiviral Property

The punga poo is used to treat clinical lesions of the skin. This herb is evaluated for its antiviral property that will help to fight against the type-1 and type-2 virus. The crude aqueous seed extract of this herb effectively fights against the growth of the HSV-1 and HSV-2.

Anti Hyperammonemia And Antioxidant Property

The extract of the punga poo leaves has the circulatory lipid for the antioxidant property. The ammonium chloride of the leaves ensures the hyper ammonium property.

The enhanced lipid in the circulation of the ammonium chlorides will reduce vitamin A, C, and E levels by reducing the glutathione peroxidase, catalyze glutathione, and superoxide dismutase.

Anti-inflammatory Property

The ethanol extract of this punga poo leaves has the anti-inflammatory property that effectively fights against various phases such as sub-acute, acute, and chronic.

The extract will not cause any side effects on the gastric mucosa. Moreover, the extract brewer’s yeast is induced pyrexia so that it also has antipyretic properties.

Medicinal Uses Of Punga Poo

Treat Appetite

Adding the punga poo in the diet will promote appetite. Usually, appetite loss is caused because of weak digestion. If the pitta, vata, and Kapha doses are in the worst range, it leads to incomplete food digestion.

It leads to the insufficient production of gastric juice in the stomach so that it causes appetite loss. The punga poo has the appetizing property, it helps to stimulate food digestion, and it helps to boost appetite.

Tips for Using Punga poo For Appetite

Consume the punga poo powder 1/4-1/2 tsp twice per day after the meal, it will help to improve your appetite.

Treat Indigestion

The punga poo is one of the best herbs for indigestion in folk medicine. Indigestion is caused because of the imbalance of Kapha, which causes a weak digestive system.

This herb helps to maintain the proper digestive system because of its hot potency, and also it will support proper food digestion. 

Tips for using punga poo for Indigestion

Consuming 1/4-1/2 tsp of punga poo powder twice per day after the meal will help to treat indigestion.

Treat Cold and Cough

The punga poo is more helpful to treat cold and cough, especially it used to treat whooping cough. Due to the Kapha balancing property of this herb, it will help to treat cold, and the hot potency of this punga poo will help to melt the thick mucus. It also helps to remove the mucus from the lungs and gives excellent relief from cough.
Also Read: Best Herbs to Treat Cold

Tips for using Punga poo for cold and cough

Mix the 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of punga poo powder with the honey and consume it twice after a meal per day will help to treat cold and cough.

Treat Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is caused because of the imbalance of Vata; it may cause pain, swelling, and difficulty to move. The punga poo has the Vata balancing property, which helps to control the Vata level in the body.

Due to this, it will provide better relief from the symptoms of osteoarthritis like swelling and pain in the joints.
Also Read: Simple Guidelines For Decreasing Vata 

Tips for using Punga poo for Osteoarthritis

Taking 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of punga poo powder twice per day after the meal will give better relief from the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Cure Skin Problems

The punga poo oil has healing and antiseptic properties, which helps to treat some skin problems, such as boils, abscess, and eczema.
Also Read: Best Herbs For Skin

Tips for using punga poo for skin problems

Mix the 3-5 drops of punga poo oil with the coconut oil and apply it on the affected area for 1-2 times per day. Repeat this process until you get relief from the symptoms of skin problems.

Treat Arthritis

The punga poo oil helps to reduce the pain. The punga poo oil has healing and hot potency, which helps to improve the healing of psoriatic arthritis and rheumatic arthritis by applying it on the affected area.

Treat Piles

The punga poo oil also helps to treat inflammation and swelling of the piles. Due to the healing property of this oil, it helps to treat piles, when applying the oil externally.
Also Read: Best Herbs to Cure Pile

Tips for using punga poo for Piles

Mix the 3.5 drops of punga poo oil with the coconut oil and apply it on the pile mass for 1-2 times per day after clearing the bowel.

Treat Ulcer

The punga poo root has a healing property; due to this property, the root juice of this herb helps to treat sinus ulcers.
Also Read: Best Herbs for Ulcer

Tips for using punga poo for ulcer

Mix the 3-5 drops of punga poo oil with the coconut oil and massage it on the chest. Repeating this process will help to get quick relief from sinus ulcers.

Treat Joint Pain

The punga poo has the Vata balancing property, which helps to reduce the bone and joint pain. Applying the punga poo oil on the affected area will help to reduce joint pain.

Tips for using punga poo for joint pain

Mix the 3-4 drops of punga poo oil with the sesame oil and massage the oil on the painful area. Repeat this process until you get complete relief from pain.

Heal Wounds

The punga poo oil helps to heal the wound quickly and reduce swelling. This oil gives the normal skin texture. It also helps to treat cuts on the skin because of its healing property.

Tips for using punga poo for wounds

Mix the 3-5 drops of punga poo oil with the coconut oil. Apply this mixture and massage on the affected area.

Traditional Uses Of Punga Poo

• This herbal plant is used to treat dyspepsia, hemorrhoids, bronchitis, skin problems, herpes, rheumatism, sores, cough, enlargement, spleen, ulcers, diabetes, and sores.

• The seed powder is used as an expectorant that helps to treat whooping cough and bronchitis.

• You can use this herb externally as an ointment for the rheumatic joints and rubbing on the skin problems.

• Apply the crushed leaves on the skin to treat parasitic skin problems, and it provides better relief from hemorrhoids.

• Infusing the leaves will give better relief from rheumatism.

• You can use this herb to treat hemorrhoids and piles.

• It is a useful herb for the detoxifying vagina and helps to treat the uterine disorder.

• It gives better relief from worm infection and quickly heals the wounds.

• It is also good medicine for stomach ailments, bloating, and flatulence.

• In Ayurveda, this herb is used to treat scorpion bites, fever, and poisoning.

• The leaves of this herb are used to treat inflammation, diarrhea, and constipation.

• It is also used to treat gout and syphilis.

Risk And Side Effects Of Punga Poo

Using the punga poo internally and externally provides a lot of health benefits. Due to the health benefits of this herb, it is used to cure many diseases in folk medicine. But some side effects also occur because of using this herb so that you have to know about the side effect before using this herb. You have to consider the ayurvedic experts before using this.

• The people who have the acidity or gastric problem can use the small quantity of the punga poo oil. If you are using a huge amount of this oil, it may cause some side effects because of its hot potency.
• If you are a latency mother, you have to consult with your doctor before consuming this herb.
• The breastfeeding mother should avoid the internal and external usage of this herb.
• Pregnant women should consult with their doctor before consuming this herb.
• Directly applying the extract of the root and leaves of this herb may cause some allergies because of its hot potency so that it is recommended to use these extracts with the rose water.

How To Use Punga Poo

Internal Use

• Punga poo capsule

1. Take 1 to 2 punga poo capsules.
2. Swallow the capsule with the water twice per day after the meal.

• Punga poo Chooranam

1. Take the 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of punga poo chooranam.
2. Mix the chooranam with the honey or water and consume it after the meal twice per day.

External Use

• Punga poo powder

1. Take a 1/2 to 1 tsp of punga poo powder.
2. Add the powder with the honey and apply it on the affected area.
3. Wait for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Then wash it thoroughly by using cold water.
5. Doing this process once per day will help to control the fungal infection.

• Punga poo Oil

1. Mix the 3-5 drops of punga poo oil with the coconut oil.
2. Applying this mixture to the affected area for 1-2 times per day will help to treat eczema, boils, and other skin problems.

• Punga poo leaves paste

1. Make a poultice by using the paste of punga poo leaves.
2. Apply it to the affected place 1-2 times per day.
3. Repeating this process will help to get better relief from swelling and pain.