10 Health Benefits of Reetha for Hair, Epilepsy and Asthma

Reetha also called Soapnut is a tree plant that is mainly known for its benefits for Hair. You can easily observe the name ‘reetha’ as an ingredient. in any herbal shampoos and hair products. Do you know the benefits of reetha are much wider than just for hairs? Today we will be talking about the Health benefits of Reetha.

The appearance of the Reetha plant:

The trees of reetha are up to 50 ft tall and generally of a diameter of 5 ft. The leaves are 5-12 inches long. It bears white flowers which are 1/5 inch long, hairy, and grow densely on the inflorescence. Fruits are divided into 2-3 compartments, 1/2 to 1/4 inch long, hairy when young and dark brown, and shrink when dry.

 

It bears seeds which are like a big pea with black shiny coverings.

Chemical composition of Reetha:

The fruits of reetha contain saponin, sugar, and pectin which are beneficial to cure cough. Seeds have 30% fat which is used to prepare soap.

Nomenclature of Reetha:

English name– Soapnut Tree

Hindi name– Reetha

Sanskrit name– Arishtak, Raktabeej, Phenil

Kingdom– Plantae

Family name– Sapindaceae

Botanical name– Sapindus mukorossi

There are two species of Sapindus trees found. Following is the list of both ones.

1. Sapindus mukurossi

These are the wild trees, found in the Himalayan regions at the height of 4000 ft, but in North India, Assam, etc, its cultivated trees are found in the gardens, parks, and near the villages.

2. Sapindus trifoliatus

These trees are especially found in Southern India. Its fruit grows in groups of 3 fruit each. Fruits are kidney shaped and when separated, the joined part makes a heart-shaped sign. When ripe, fruits become slightly reddish brown in color.

Now, we shall be talking about the Health benefits of Reetha i.e., the Soapnut plant.

Health benefits of Soapnut/Reetha:

1. Enhance Hair Growth

• Take 100 gm kapoor kachari, 100 gm nutgrass, and 40-40 gm each of camphor and Soapnut tree fruits, 250 gm shikakai, and 200 gm amla
• Grind them all to form a powder.
• Take 50 gm of this powder and prepare the paste in water.
• Apply this on the hair for some time and then rinse the hair with warm water.
• It kills the lice and makes the hair silky and soft.
• Wash the hair with a mixture of reetha, amla, and shikakai.
• It makes the hair silky, shiny, dandruff free, and dense.

2. Helpful for Epilepsy patients

• Grind reetha fruits with their seed, seed kernel, and peel.
• Let the patient inhale this regularly.
• Regular practice, it decreases seizures and convulsions.
• It is also very effective to treat epilepsy completely.

3. Treatment for Asthma

• Grind the fruits and let the patient inhale their odor.
• Or, grind the fruit along with 1-2 black pepper in water.
• Put 4-5 drops of the solution in the nostrils.
• It is very beneficial for Asthma.

4. Helpful in Tooth disorders

• Burn the seeds of reetha and then grind them.
• Mix an equal amount of grinded alum to it and apply this powder to teeth.
• It cures all types of tooth disorders.

5. Reduces Migraine pain

• Grind 1-2 fruits of reetha with black pepper.
• Put 4-5 drops in the nostrils.
• It immediately cures migraine pain.

6. Treats Conjunctivitis

• Boil its fruits in water and apply the boiled water below the eyelids.
• It treats conjunctivitis very effectively.

7. Helpful in Diarrhoea

• Grind 4.5 gm reetha peel in water till foam I produced.
• Give this water to the patient.
• It treats diarrhea effectively.

8. Betrays Scorpion poison

• Grind the kernel of its fruit and mix it with an equal amount of jaggery.
• Prepare tablets of 1-2 gm each.
• Give 1 tablet after every 5 minutes
• It nullifies the impact of poison.

9. Treats Body pain

• Give 250 mg powder of its peel with squash or water.
• It cures body pain effectively.

10. For Eased Delivery

• Crush the fruits of reetha and mix them with water.
• Make sure that it forms a soup kind of liquid.
• Now dip cotton into it and place it in front of the vaginal opening.
• It results in eased and normal delivery.

All these are the benefits are usages of Soapnut. Before practicing any of these remedies, must visit a doctor nearby or an Ayurvedic physician. As every one of us has a different body constitution and type, so the treatment might be altered.

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