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Balkumari,Keskumari,केशकुमारी, बालकुमारी, Ginkgo biloba

यो सुन्दर सीधा रूख २५-३० मिटर अग्लो हुन्छ । विनास्वाद ठन्डा प्रकृतिको पात हुन्छ । मस्तिष्क ताने, उन्माद रोगमा र शरीर गर्मी हुँदा ५-७ पात खाँदा लाभ पुऱ्याउँछ । यसले कपाललाई कालो बनाउँछ। यसको बोक्रा फूल-फल पातले केश रक्षा गर्छ । यसले छारे - मृगी, अपस्मार, अधिकपित्त, उच्चरक्तचाप, पत्थरी, धातुस्राव, शिर दुख्ने, रक्तपित्त आदि सन्चो गराउँछ । मात्रा : ३-५ ग्राम, काँढापानी / क्वाथ १ / १ माना, लेदो २-३ ग्राम २-३ पटक ।

परिचय

बालकुमारी वा केशकुमारी (Ginkgo biloba) एक औषधीय गुण भएको सजिलै पहिचान हुने रूख हो। यो रूख नेपाल लगायत विश्वका विभिन्न मुलुकहरूमा पाइन्छ। यसको पात, बोक्रा, फूल, फल आदि सबै भागहरू औषधीय प्रयोजनका लागि प्रयोग गरिन्छ। यसले मानिसहरूको स्वास्थ्यमा धेरै फाइदा गर्छ, विशेष गरी मस्तिष्क सम्बन्धी रोग, रक्तचाप, कपालको स्वास्थ्य आदिमा यसको प्रयोग उल्लेखनीय छ।

नेपाल र अन्य देशहरूमा उपलब्धता

बालकुमारी नेपालको मध्य पहाडी भेगमा १५०० देखि २५०० मिटरको उचाइमा पाइन्छ। यो चीन, जापान, कोरिया लगायत एसियाली मुलुकहरूमा धेरै पाइन्छ। यसलाई विश्वभर औषधीय रूखको रूपमा रोपिन्छ र युरोप र अमेरिकामा पनि यसको खेती गरिन्छ।

शारीरिक विशेषताहरू

यो रूख २५-३० मिटरसम्म अग्लो हुन्छ।
यसको पात हरियो, चिप्लो र फाँट भएको हुन्छ।
पातहरूमा कडा स्वाद हुन्छ र ठन्डै प्रकृतिको हुन्छ।
यसको बोक्रा खैरो र खस्रो हुन्छ।
फूल साना र हरिया-पहेँला रंगका हुन्छन्।
फल पाकेपछि पहेँलो रंगको हुन्छ।

औषधीय गुणहरू

बालकुमारीको विभिन्न भागहरूमा निम्न औषधीय गुणहरू पाइन्छन्:

मस्तिष्क तनाव हटाउने: यसले मस्तिष्कमा रक्त प्रवाह बढाउँछ, जसले गर्दा एकाग्रता र स्मरणशक्ति बढाउन मद्दत गर्छ।
उन्माद र मिर्गीमा फाइदा: यसले नसाहरू शान्त पार्छ र मिर्गी जस्ता रोगहरू नियन्त्रण गर्छ।
कपाल कालो र मजबूत बनाउने: यसले कपाल झर्ने रोग, सेतोपन र कमजोर कपाललाई रोक्छ।
रक्तचाप नियन्त्रण: उच्च रक्तचापलाई कम गर्न मद्दत गर्छ।
पित्त र रक्त विकार नियन्त्रण: यसले रक्तपित्त, अधिक पित्त, धातुस्राव जस्ता समस्याहरू हटाउँछ।
मूत्राशयको पत्थरी: यसले मूत्रमार्गमा बनेका पत्थरीलाई पनि घटाउन मद्दत गर्छ।

फाइदाहरू

यसले मस्तिष्कको कार्यक्षमता बढाउँछ।
कपाल झर्ने रोग रोक्छ र कालो बनाउँछ।
रक्त संचारलाई नियमित गर्छ।
शरीरको गर्मी कम गर्छ।
तनाव, निद्राको समस्या र डिप्रेसनलाई कम गर्छ।

प्रयोग विधि

पात: ५-७ वटा ताजा पात काँढा पानीमा उमालेर खाने वा पिउने।
बोक्रा: बोक्राको क्वाथ (काढा) बनाएर १-२ चम्चा दिनमा २-३ पटक सेवन गर्न सकिन्छ।
लेदो (गोली): २-३ ग्राम लेदो दिनमा २ पटक पानीसँग सेवन गर्न सकिन्छ।
फूल/फल: यसको फूल वा फल पनि औषधीको रूपमा प्रयोग गरिन्छ।

उत्पादन र संरक्षण

यसको पात वर्षायाममा हरियो हुँदा तोक्नुपर्छ।
बोक्रा र फल पाकेपछि सुकाएर भण्डारण गर्नुपर्छ।
सुकेका पातहरू एयरटाइट कन्टेनरमा राख्नुपर्छ ताकि यसको गुण कायम रहोस्।

निष्कर्ष

बालकुमारी वा केशकुमारी (Ginkgo biloba) एक बहुउपयोगी औषधीय रूख हो। यसले मानिसहरूको शारीरिक र मानसिक स्वास्थ्यमा धेरै फाइदा पुर्याउँछ। यसको नियमित प्रयोगले मस्तिष्कको कार्यक्षमता बढाउन, कपालको स्वास्थ्य राख्न, रक्तचाप नियन्त्रण गर्न र अन्य धेरै रोगहरूबाट बच्न मद्दत गर्छ। त्यसैले यसलाई प्राकृतिक औषधीको रूपमा उपयोग गर्नु उपयुक्त हुन्छ।

Introduction

Balkumari, or simply referred to as Keskumari or English-speaking nations as Ginkgo biloba, is a holy medicinal plant with long roots and diverse therapeutic applications. With its origin on one of the world's oldest tree genera, Ginkgo biloba is also known as a "living fossil" since it has endured millennia. It is renowned for its healing properties, especially for the brain, hair, blood circulation, and nervous system.

In Nepal, Balkumari is valued not only for its medicinal uses but also for its cultural and environmental significance. Different parts of this plant, such as leaves, bark, and fruits, have been traditionally used by healers to treat a range of disorders, particularly circulatory and neurological in nature. It is also connected with the power to make hair strong and prevent baldness, the very name "Keskumari" indicating so.

Availability in Nepal and Other Countries

In Nepal, Balkumari grows in temperate regions, particularly in botanical gardens, herbal farms, and cultivated areas of hilly and mountainous districts. Because of its climatic tolerance, it is being promoted by different Ayurvedic and conservation agencies progressively. It is not a native wild tree to Nepal, yet it is being cultivated in a controlled environment because of its high demand as a medicinal herb.

In other countries, Ginkgo biloba is widely grown in China (country of origin), Japan, Korea, USA, Germany, and France. China remains the largest producer and exporter of Ginkgo biloba leaves and extracts. It is also widely available in capsule or powder form in health supplement stores across the globe. The majority of western countries grow it ornamentally in parks and avenues due to its beauty and robustness.

Physical Properties

Ginkgo biloba is a long-lived deciduous tree that grows up to 25–30 meters tall. It possesses a straight, sturdy trunk with an umbrella-like canopy. The tree survives for centuries, with others being known to have lived for more than a thousand years.

Leaves: Its leaves are fan-shaped with a tendency to divide midway, creating a nearly bilobed shape. They are pale green in summer and spring, golden yellow in autumn.

Bark: Grayish-brown, coarse bark contains medicinal constituents.

Flowers and Fruits: It is dioecious—i.e., male and female flowers are on different trees. Fruit-like seeds emitting a foul smell are present in female trees, but male trees are generally cultivated.

Texture: Leaves are light, soft, and cold by nature, i.e., what is referred to as "cold" in Ayurvedic properties.

Medicinal Properties

Balkumari or Ginkgo biloba is renowned for its powerful medicinal qualities, most notably on the nervous system, blood circulation system, and scalp health. Some of its main medicinal applications are:

Brain Tonic: Enhances memory, focus, and brain function.

Anti-epileptic: Useful in epilepsy (छारे रोग), hysteria (उन्माद), and spasms.

Anti-hypertensive: Useful in high blood pressure (उच्च रक्तचाप).

Blood Purifier: Functions as a blood purifier and enhances circulation.

Hair Care: Keeps hair black, healthy, and prevents hair fall.

Antioxidant: Protects cells from oxidative stress and slows aging.

Anti-stone: Facilitates the management of kidney stones (पत्थरी).

Headache Relief: Relieves repeated or chronic headaches.

Treats Excessive Pitta: Calms irritated Pitta dosha (अधिक पित्त).

Hormonal Balance: Facilitates the management of involuntary seminal emission (धातु स्राव).

Benefits

Balkumari offers a broad spectrum of physical and mental benefits:

Neuroprotective: Prevents degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia.

Increases Mental Alertness: Enhances concentration and reduces mental fatigue.

Fosters Emotional Stability: Facilitates mood swaying, depression, and anxiety.

Enhances Circulation: Enhances limb and brain blood flow.

Skin Improvement: Reduces inflammation and smoothes skin texture.

Respiratory System: Aids in reducing asthma and breathing difficulty.

Anticancer Activity: Contains terpenoids and flavonoids that inhibit tumor growth.

Eye Care: Increases blood supply to eyes, promoting vision acuteness.

Balances Energy: Reduces excess inner body heat.

Safe Herbal Remedy: Lesser side effects when taken in the prescribed amount.

Uses

Ginkgo biloba is employed in various forms for various therapies:

For Brain and Memory: In the form of a tonic or herbal capsule.

For Hair: Decoction or leaf powder is applied to the scalp or taken internally.

For Epilepsy and Seizures: 5–7 leaves' decoction reduces seizures.

For Blood Pressure and Stones: As herbal extract or powder with water.

For Headaches and Mental Stress: Consumed with honey or lukewarm water.

For Detoxification: As part of a cleansing herbal preparation.

In Cosmetics: Incorporation in herbal shampoo, oil, and face creams.

Method of Use

Balkumari uses according to traditional practices involve definite dosages and preparations:

Leaf Powder: 2–3 grams with warm water or honey and consumed 2–3 times daily.

Kadha (Herbal Decoction): Boil 3–5 fresh or dried leaves in water (1 mana), filter and take twice a day.

Paste (Ledo): 2–3 grams of powdered leaf paste applied topically on scalp or with water.

Capsule or Tablet: 120–240 mg of standardized extract administered as an adjunct in modern herbal practice.

Juice or Infusion: Leaves left overnight and consumed the next morning.

Precaution is to be observed not to use more than prescribed amounts as overdose would lead to nausea, dizziness, or allergy.

Harvesting and Conservation

Harvesting:

The leaves are harvested during late summer to early autumn, when they are fully mature and possess maximum amount of medicinal constituents.

The bark is carefully cut so that the ability of the tree to grow is not harmed.

Fruits or seeds are harvested from female trees during the autumn season.

Conservation:

The leaves are cleaned and shade-dried to preserve the active components.

Kept in sealed containers in a dry and cool place in order to avoid moisture or fungal rot.

Powdered leaf extract must be utilized within 6 months of grinding.

Bark and dried fruits are kept in sterilized herbal jars.

Conclusion

Balkumari (Keskumari) or Ginkgo biloba globally is a precious gift of nature to humanity. With its centuries of medical significance, it is one of the commonly used traditional and conventional medicinal herbs. Its ability to heal mental stress, neurological diseases, circulatory diseases, and hair loss makes it an omni-purpose herb among young and old individuals.

In Nepal, its cultivation would be encouraged due to its vast medicinal importance and increasing demand. It also offers opportunities for the global herbal industry in sustainable livelihood and conservation of biodiversity. When used as a powder, decoction, or standardized extract, Balkumari is an effective, safe, and tested herbal drug when taken with proper knowledge and information.

Reference

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