Jayanti

Botanical Name: Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr.

Family Name: Fabaceae

Identification No.: SDACH/HG/308

Vernacular Names:

            •Hindi: Jayanti

            • English: Egyptian Riverhemp

            • Marathi: Jait

            •  Tamil: Sembarutti

            •  Telugu: Jilledi

            • Kannada: Jayanti

Synonyms

बलामोटा सूक्ष्ममूला जयन्ती विजया जया ।

हरिता चैव विज्ञेया सूक्ष्मपत्राऽपराजिता ||१९९९||

Classification according to Ayurvedic texts:

            •           Charaka: Not specifically mentioned

            •           Sushruta: Not specifically mentioned

            •           Vagbhata: Not specifically mentioned

            •           Bhavaprakasha: Mentioned under “Haritakyadi varga”

Habitat & Distribution:

Widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions; native to Africa but found throughout India, especially in moist and riparian areas.

Morphology:

A fast-growing shrub or small tree up to 8 m tall. Leaves are pinnately compound, with 6–27 pairs of oblong leaflets. Flowers are yellow, pea-shaped, in racemes. Pods are linear, curved, and contain several seeds.

Varieties:

            •           Sesbania sesban var. bicolor

            •           Sesbania sesban var. nilotica

Substitute / Adulterant:

Sometimes substituted with Tephrosia purpurea in local practice.

Phytochemicals:

Flavonoids (kaempferol, quercetin), tannins, saponins, sesbanimide, alkaloids

Raspanchaka:

            •           Rasa: Tikta, Katu

            •           Guna: Laghu, Ruksha

            •           Virya: Ushna

            •           Vipaka: Katu

            •           Prabhava: Vishaghna

            •           Dosha Shamakta: Kapha-Vatahara

Karma / Rogaghnata:

Krimighna (anthelmintic), Vishaghna (detoxifier), Shothahara (anti-inflammatory)

Amayika Prayoga / Therapeutic Uses:

    External: Used in skin disorders, local swelling, and inflammatory conditions (paste of leaves)

  Internal: Used for treating worm infestations, fever, and urinary disorders

Part Used: Leaves, seeds, bark

Dose:

Powder: 3–6 g

Decoction: 50–100 ml

Yoga / Formulations:

Jayantyadi Taila

Jayanti Churna

Used in some krimighna formulations

IUCN Status: Least Concern (LC)

Research Updates

•  A 2020 study published in Journal of Ethnopharmacology confirmed its anthelmintic properties.
•  A 2021 Phytotherapy Research article reported significant antioxidant activity in its leaf extract.            
• A 2022 study in Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in vivo