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| Medicinal Herbs -> Jatamansi |
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Jatamansi is an erect perennial rhizomatous herb 10-60 cm long. It has an agreeable odour with bitter
aromatic taste and is used as substitute for valerian. It yields up to 2 percent of an essential oil (spikenard oil) with a pleasant odour.
Rhizome of Jatamansi has high medicinal value and the essential oil extracted from the rhizomes is used in perfumery.
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Jatamansi is an erect perennial rhizomatous herb 10-60 cm long. It has an agreeable odour with bitter
aromatic taste and is used as substitute for valerian. It yields up to 2 percent of an essential oil (spikenard oil) with a pleasant odour.
Rhizome of Jatamansi has high medicinal value and the essential oil extracted from the rhizomes is used in perfumery.
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Jatamansi
Nardostachys grandiflora -The Karnali Zone is one of the major Jatamansi producing areas of Nepal. Jatamansi is
an erect perennial rhizomatous herb 10-60 cm long. It has an agreeable odour with bitter
aromatic taste and is used as substitute for valerian. It yields up to 2 percent of an
essential oil (spikenard oil) with a pleasant odour. The Jatamansi is collected from
government owned pastureland and community managed land and sold to village traders
who air lift to Nepalgunj to sale to wholesaler. Thus, it is one of the major income
generating resources of the rural population. The whole plant has a distinct and lingering
smell. Rhizome of Jatamansi has high medicinal value and the essential oil extracted
from the rhizomes is used in perfumery.
1. Biology
A. Taxonomy
Nardostachys grandiflora DC. is the only species of
this genus found in Nepal (Anonymous, 1976), the
synonym for it is N. Jatamansi DC.
Family - Valeriananceae
Local name - Jatamansi, Bhutle and Balcharh
English name - Spikenard
Jatamansi is a perennial with spindle-shaped rootstock covered with fibres of old leaves and flowering stems 5-30 cm. The leaves of Jatamansi
are elliptic-lanceolate or spathulate of about 5-20 cm mostly basal and arising from the
stout and woody rootstock covered with dark fibres of old leaves. The root of this taxon
consists of short, thick, dark grey rhizomes crowned with reddish brown tufted fibrous
remains of the petioles of the radical leaves. Flowers are rose-purple to whitish in dense
head borne in terminal. Calyx is coloured, 5 -lobed, the lobes enlarge in fruit and become
papery. Corolla tube is 6-20 mm long with 5-rounded spreading lobes. The whole plant
has a distinct lingering smell.
B. Habitat and Range
Jatamansi is distributed in sub-alpine to alpine regions in dry, open conifer forests, rocks,
edges, small depressions, scrubs and in open meadows mostly on north facing slopes. It
is found in the alpine Himalayas from Punjab to Sikkim, Bhutan to the province of
Yannan and Szechwanin, South West China at the altitude range of 3000-5000 m
(Polunin and Stainton 1987).
In Nepal, it is found in the eastern and central regions but abundantly in the western
region growing on open, stony and grassy slopes, and on the turf of glacial flats.
In Jumla district, potential areas for Jatamansi are Patarasi, Chhumchaur, Dillichaur and
Patmara VDCs of eastern sector Chaudavisa region
C. Ecology
It is a perennial herb distributed in alpine pasture land of Himalayas. During winter, it
sheds all leaves and is buried under the snow. In the beginning of summer, the snow
melts and this plant starts to grow. The flowering takes place in June to July and fruiting
occurs during August - October. In the beginning of October, all leaves turn yellow and
become ready for pereniation. The plant is mostly found growing in sloppy area.
The associated plant species of Jatamansi are: Sunpate (Rhododendron anthopogon),
Buke phool (Anophalis spp.), Dhoopi (Juniperus indica), Kutki (PIcrorhiza
scrophulariaflora), Rato ghash (Geum elatum) etc.
D. Regeneration
Natural regeneration takes place by rhizome and seeds. The plant can cultivate by the
cuttings of underground parts or rhizomes and from seeds. The cuttings of rhizome are
the best means for cultivation. Cultivation through cutting of rhizome is fast rather than
from seeds.
2. Resource Management
A. Management System
The rhizome is the item of co/b>
mmerce, which is collected from September to December.
It is found in CFUG managed forest, government land. Jatamansi is not yet included in
the operational plan of CFUG.
B. Harvesting
In Jumla, Jatamansi is harvested from May to December. It is harvested manually by
using single hand tool ‘Koto’ (a small spade like instrument). The rhizome is pulled out
by digging with ‘Koto’. The leaves and roots are removed and only the rhizome is
harvested and gathered into a basket or sack.
C. Sustainability Issues
Jatamansi is collected from May to December while the fruit matures after October.
Therefore, the collection of Jatamansi before October is against the sustainability of this
product. Because of unsustainable collection, procedure each year the production of this
species is decreasing and the farmers have to go further far away from their places.
3. Utilization
A. Subsistence
Jatamansi is harvested for local use and for trade of its valuable roots/rhizomes. The root
of Jatamansi is aromatic and bitter in taste. Local people use the root for different
purposes. It is used as stimulant, antiseptic and for the treatment of epilepsy, hysteria,
convulsive affections, stomachic, laxative and cholera. A tincture of it is given in
intestinal colic and flatulence. The rhizome is used as an aromatic adjunct in the
preparation of medicinal oil. It is also believed to be used for leprosy. Mixed with
sesame oil, it is rubbed on the heard as a nerve sedative. It is also said to promote growth
and impart blackness of hair. It is used as anti-venom for scorpion stings and insect
repellent.
The rhizome is also used to make incense by mixing with the powder of Juniper and
Sunpati.
B. Commercial
It is used as an aromatic adjunct in the preparation of medicinal oils and in perfumery.
Once dried, the rhizomes are steam distilled to yield between 1 - 2% of essential oil
(spikenard oil). The spikenard oil produced in Humla can be generally described as
having a greenish color and an order suggestive of patchouli and official valerian
(Valerina officinalis L.), sweet, woody, and spicy animal odor. It can be used with
advantage as perfumes as oriental basis, heavy floral, animal amber types, etc. It blends
well with Cedar wood and Lavender. The oil resinifies on exposure to air.
Interviewed collectors and traders reported that Jatamansi collected in mid September to
mid October (Asoj) is yellowish, containing the highest oil percentage, in comparison to
Jatamansi collected in mid April to mid May (Bahishak) when rhizomes are still green
and contain less oil. The worst quality, however, is collected mid July to mid August
(Srawan) when Jatamansi turns black and the dried raw material is mixed up with dust.
4. Marketing
A. Production Volume and Trade
According to the DFO information, a total of 85,889 kg of dried Jatamansi was traded
last year collected from Patarasi, Chhumchaur, Dillichaur and Patmara VDCs of eastern
sector Chaudavisa region and Bumramadichaur, Malikabota, Kanakasundari, Birat,
Pandugupha, Dhapa, Narakot, Shanigaun, Kartikswami, Depalgaun and Garjyangkot
VDCs of Jumla district.
Buying price of raw Jatamansi at village or collector's level is NRs 54 per kg, which went
up to NRs 70 per kg at the Jumla airport. Local trader/ airport traders buy the product and
airlift to Nepalgunj wholesalers. Only limited quantity of Jatamansi is bought by
Manishanker Devkota and Rinamoksha Herbal Production and Processing Company Ltd.
for distillation purposes from their closest CFUGs (Chaudhavishe sector), and local
traders.
C. Current Processing
The type of Nardostachys jatamansi collected greatly affects the yield and aroma of
character of the essential oil obtained with distillation. Quality is influenced by the
maturity of the rhizomes at the time of harvest, the form of preparation, and duration of
storage.
Rhizomes harvested at latter stages of maturity, 2 to 3 years old plants, possess relatively
higher essential oil content as compared with younger plants. Plant material collected in
different locations will differ in oil content. The volatile oil cells are generally located on
the fine fibrous hairs of the rhizome. Plant material collected from the open grass land
has relatively higher essential oil content as compared to the plant collected in the bushy
area.
For commercial purpose, the rhizomes are graded, packed in distillation apparatus evenly
with several layers to avoid channelization of steam, and distilled with low pressure and
relatively dry steam for 9 to 18 hours.
D. Variability and Risk
If there is no demand from international market on Jatamansi oil, no trading will happen.
There is a high fluctuation of market price each year. Transportation of these products is
solely dependent on airlifting. The selling price of the raw material at the collection area
is affected by the price at India.
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