Bhanga

Bhanga is the ancient medicinal herb, famous with names of Marijuana Indian hemp, Ganja. The scientific name of the plant is Cannabis Sativa. It belongs to the Cannabaceae family. Bhanga is known to be an annual herb with erect stem, grows up to 3 to 10 feet or more than this and slightly branched with greyish green hair. The leaves of the plant are palmate, stipulate, present alternatively, have long petiole, smooth dark green with serrate, singly present, lanceolate, 3 to 11 in number, acuminate leaflets.

These are long up to 10 cm and wide up to 1.5 cm. leaflets have acute stipules at the base with tapering ends. These have basal leaves also present oppositely. These basal leaves known as vegetative leaves. The flowers of the bhanga are small and unisexual kind. The female flower has five veined leaf encircled ovary in a sheath. These are single, glandular and hairy. The ovary of the flower is one celled, have a hanging ovule with tread like stigmas. Their ovaries are very smooth and its stigma spreads out of the flower, about more than its length. The male one having five segments, almost present separately, downy with pale yellow color. The fruit of the bhanga is small and completely full of seeds. It is of brownish-grey color.

CLASSIFICATION

HABITAT

It is the native of central Asia. It is grown in Asia, Europe, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and China. Bhanga has been cultivated from ancient time in India since 900BC. Then in medieval period, it was brought to North Africa. In India, cultivation of this plant control and grown in some areas only.it is wild in north western Indian regions such as Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Bihar. These areas are Nainital, Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh, Almora and Amritsar. It is also cultivated in the areas of Kashmir, Nepal and Taravancore but up to little extent.

Vernacular Names

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES

EFFECTS ON DOSHAS

This helps to balances vata and kapha doshas. It helps to increases pitta dosha.

PRACTICAL USES OF BHANGA

• Bhanga is known to have nerve stimulant property, so helps to give relief in nervous exhaustion, periodical headaches, migraine, nervous vomiting, delirium, neuralgia and convulsions.
• Bhanga is used as an appetizer and helps to give relief from bowel problems and dyspepsia.
• The leaves of the plant are used to treat the problem of insomnia.
• Their leaves are also used to give relief in resolving tumors, itching problems, skin diseases, wounds and sores.
• It is very useful in giving relief from head lice and dandruff.
• Bhanga is very useful in case of diarrhea, plies and dysentery.
• This is used in the cases of inflammations and hemorrhoids.
• It is known to have aphrodisiac property.
• It is very useful in eye disorders like in photophobia.
• It is used as a remedy for malaria, black water fever and blood poisoning.

PARTS USED

• Leaves
• Seeds
• Resins (Charas)
• Flowers (Ganja)

DOSAGE

• Bhangs leaf powder – 125 to 250 mg
• Ganja – 50 to 125 mg
• Charas – 30 mg

PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN

• It is unsafe during pregnancy and lactation.
• It should not be taken in the case of high blood pressure.
• It should not be taken for long time and in high doses as it cause depression, anxiety, decreases immunity and testosterone, sperm quality and number.