Panja Powder – Salep Panja or Salem Panja – Marsh Orchid – Dactylorhiza hatagirea

Salep Panja –  Marsh Orchid –

INCI : Dactylorhiza hatagirea

Himalayan Marsh Orchid

Other Names : Salam panja, Salem panja or Salep panja

SALEP OR SALEM PANJA – Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don)  – a west Himalayan orchid
INCI : Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don) Soo (family Orchidaceae),

SALEP is known as a high-value medicinal plant, is reported to occur in temperate to alpine regions (2500–5000 m asl) in India, Pakistan and Nepal.

It is commonly known as Salem Panja (Kashmir)and Hatajari (Uttaranchal). It is a perennial herb, grows up to 60 cm in height, having palmately lobed, divided root tubers with
broadly lanceolate leaves arranged more or less along the stem and rosy purple flowers. the shape of tubor is similiar to fingers of hand (Panja in hindi mean hand with five fingers)

The demand of this species is very high, compared to the yeild, on the basis of its high market value in different localities.

Also, the annual demand of the species is high.This leads to over-exploitation of the species from wild, particularly those not cultivated at commercial scale.

Besides these, being an orchid, D. hatagirea can be considered as an inherently slow-growing and poorly regenerating species because of pollinator specificity and requirement for mycorrhizal association. Thus D. hatagirea has been categorized as critically endangered, critically rare species.

Chemical constituents:  Leaves contain loroglossin, albumin, hydroquinone, lesoglossin, militarrin, pyranoside, pyrocatechol and volatile oil.

Tuberous roots contain mucilage, starch, dactylose A and B, dactylorhin A – E, 4-(β-D-glucopyranosyl) benzyl alcohol, (2R)-2-hydroxy-2-(2-methylpropyl) butanedic acid, 4-hydroxybenzyl methyl ether, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, pyrocatechol, hydroquinone, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside

Uses :
Salep, obtained from tubers of D.hatagirea, is also used as a sizing material in silk industry.

Folk medicine

Tuberous root powder is spread on wounds to control bleeding, and decoction of root is utilized in treating stomach troubles.

Tuberous roots are tonic; pulverized and mixed with water, and applied as a disinfectant on wounds, particularly those resulting from burns.

Tuberous roots are eaten raw or with milk or honey, as an aphrodisiac and a vital tonic; its paste is applied on cuts and wounds for speedy healing.

Other uses : Young leaves and shoots are eaten as vegetables. Root paste is also applied on Hair.

Disclaimer : We do not recommend intake of any Herbal Product without Proper Medical Consultation