It is an important
medicinal plant that is used in the treatment of various ailments. The
botanical name for Majuphal is Euryale Ferox Salisb which belongs to the
Nymphaeaceae family. It is called as Fox nut which is rich in nutrients
English
– Fox nut
Hindi
– Makhana
Punjabi
– Jaivar
Telugu
– Melluni padmamu
Bengali
– Makhana
Punjabi
– Jaivar
Marathi
– Mane
Gujrathi
– Makhana
Urdu
– Kanta Padm
Manipuri
– Thangjing
Japanee
– Onibas
Chinese
– Qian shi
Makhana is originated from South-East Asia and China
and is widely distributed all over the world mainly in the tropical and
sub-tropical regions of Japan, Korea, Russia, North America, Nepal, Bangladesh,
and in some parts of India. In India, it is distributed in West Bengal, Bihar,
Manipur, Tripura, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Eastern Odisha, Madhya Pradesh,
Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh and it is also cultivated in North Bihar.
It is a stem-less, aquatic herb. The leaves are big,
oblong with 6-100 cm in diameter and it floats like a plate in the surface of the
water which is reddish-green in above and purple in below. The flowers are
solitary, submerged and the ovary is inferior, multi carpellary and it contains
30-40 pea-size seeds with a hard black seed coat.
Part
used:
Seeds
Taste:
Sweet, astringent, bitter
Potency- Cold
PROCESS
OF MAKHANA:
Collecting
the fruits: Manually the sunken fruits are collected
from the pond with the help of nets
Cleaning
and Washing: The collected fruits are cleaned and
washed and they are dried in the sun in the morning so that the moisture
content will be 25-30 percent
Storage
and grading: The seeds which are collected are graded
according to their size and stored
Preheating
and tempering: The seeds which are collected according
to their size are heated continuously over the fire for 6 minutes and then
store in an open basket for two days
Roasting:
After two days the seeds are again heated in a pan over the fire
Popping:
After some time they will be a crackling sound of 5-7 seeds which are kept on
the hard surface and hit with a hammer made up of wooden. Steam pressure inside
the seed breaks the coat from the seed and the kernel which is present inside
pops out in an expanded form
Removal
of seed coat and polishing: The kernel which comes out from the
seeds are called Makhana and they polished by rubbing it against the basket
which is made up of bamboo splits to avoid the moisture absorption
Grading
and packaging: As we said earlier based upon the size of
the seeds it is graded. So popped, polished and graded products are packaged in
polyethylene bags
Final
products: From the above process we obtained dry fruit Makhana
On chemical compound
analysis of the makhana, it includes
2β-hydroxy botulinic
acid, 3β-carprylate, Glucosyl sterols, Cerebrosides-ferocerebrosides A and B
Ethanol extracts of
seeds: 5,7-dihydroxychromone, 5,7-dihydroxy-6,4-dimethoxyflavone, Daucosterol,
Gallic acid, Gallic acid ethyl ester, Protocatechuric acid, β-sitosterol
Phenolic compounds
includes: Buddlenol E, 5,7,4-trihydroxyflavone,
5,7-dihydroxy-2-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-chroman-4-one.
ACTIONS:
The dose of the drug used according to physicians
Seeds: 5-20g
Male
sexual dysfunction:
In males, sexual dysfunction occurs due to the loss of
libido which leads to low erection time which is called premature ejaculation.
The use of Makhana increases the quality and quantity of semen by maintaining
the sexual performance by its Aphrodisiac property.
Take the required amount of Makhana as per the dose
and duration advised by the doctor and shallow fry the makhana with a teaspoon
of ghee and you can consume it along with milk
Diarrhea:
According to Ayurveda,
Diarrhea is called Atisar. Usually, diarrhea occurs due to mental stress,
improper food, water, environmental toxins. Diarrhea occurs due to the
imbalance of Vata. This brings the fluid into the intestines and mixes it with
stool which leads to diarrhea. The use of Makhana regulates the water loss from
the body and helps to makes the stool thicker by its astringent effect and it
also helps to improve digestion by its Grahi (absorbent) activities
Take the required amount of Makhana as per the dose
and duration advised by the doctor and shallow fry the makhana with a teaspoon
of ghee and you can consume it along with light food
Insomnia:
According to Ayurveda, Insomnia is called Anidra
occurs due to the imbalance of Vata dosha. The use of Makhana treat insomnia by
balancing the Vata
Take the required amount of Makhana as per the dose
and duration advised by the doctor and shallow fry the makhana with a teaspoon
of ghee and you can consume it along with milk at night
Osteoarthritis:
According to Ayurveda, osteoarthritis occurs due to
the imbalance of Vata dosha called Sandhivata which causes pain and swelling.
The use of Makhana helps to reduce the symptoms associated with osteoarthritis
by balancing the Vata.
Take the required amount of Makhana as per the dose
and duration advised by the doctor and shallow fry the makhana with a teaspoon
of ghee and you can consume it along with milk
Fatigue:
Due to its antioxidant effect, its fights against free
radicals and decreases stress. It also increases the glycogen level in the
liver
Diabetes:
The use of Makhana helps to reduce the blood sugar
level by increasing the ability to release the insulin from pancreatic β-cells
damage and it also helps to reduce the risk for developing complications in
diabetes
Heart
patients:
The use of makhana helps to reduce the myocardial
ischemic reperfusion injury by improving the supply of blood which reduce the
size of the infarct by its antioxidant and cardioprotective effect and it also
prevents the blood vessels from damage
The Makhana comes
in various formulations includes
Roasted
Makhana:
Flame the pan and heat oil, once the oil gets heat to add
the seeds of Makhana and fry until it becomes crunchy and you can add salt,
black pepper, and chaat masala as per your taste.
Makhana
powder:
Take the required amount of Makhana powder and powder
it from grinding and add half a cup of powder in a bowl and add hot water into
it and mix it well without forming lumps and along with it add ghee at the end
and again mix it well. Allow it to cool and add honey before consuming.
Is Makhana powder or
seeds available in the market?
Yes, it is available in the market and it can be brought
from online websites or ayurvedic medical stores.
How to store Makhana
powder?
It should be stored in an airtight container and keep the
medicines away from the heat and light and Do not keep the medicines reaching out to children
How many calories are
there in Makhana?
Comparing with other products, Makhana is low in
calories which is rich in fiber and good carbohydrates. The total amount of
calories in 50g of Makhana is 180
Are Makhana and lotus
seeds the same?
Yes, Makhana and lotus seeds are the same, and Makhana
is also called fox nuts
