Vanda tessellata : Ethnomedicinal uses

 

Vanda tessellata’s Description

Vanda tessellata is a species of orchid occurring from the Indian subcontinent to Indochina. This species is well known for its medicinal use also. The flowers have a wonderful contrast with brown petals and sepals and a purple lip. The smell is very rustic. A rare one to find.

These orchids are all epiphytic. They do not like any potting medium. Vanda orchids must not be allowed to dry out entirely. Saturate the roots with water every time you water, which means the roots should turn green and retain a drop of water at the tip. Watering of these Vandas must be done with care to prevent water from remaining in the crowns (top leaves), a condition that can cause crown rot.


Checkered Vanda is a medium to large sized, warm growing epiphytic orchid, with a climbing stem. Leaves are linear, narrow, 3-toothed at the tip. The plant blooms on a sub-erect, 15-50 cm long inflorescence carrying 5 to 12, fragrant, long-lived flowers. Flowers are 4-5 cm across. The sepals and petals have undulating margins and are pale green, yellowish green or somewhat bluish with checkered lines of olive-brown on the inner surface. The outer surface is white, while the lip is violet-purple with a white margin, and usually deeper purple towards the tip. It is used in the Malayasian Peninsula as a cure-all by drinking the juice from the compressed plant. Checkered Vanda is found in the Chinese Himalayas, Assam India, Bangladesh, Himalayas, India, Sri Lanka and Myanamar at elevations of 1500 m.

Common name:Vanda tessellata

Checkered Vanda, Vanda Orchid • Bengali: rasna • Hindi: Vanda, Nai, perasara • Kannada: bandanike, badanika, jkeevanthige • Marathi: aasna • Oriya: ilkum • Sanskrit: atirasa, bhujangakshi, chhatraki, dronagandhika • Tamil: kantanakuli • Tangkhul: Shailengwon • Telugu: chittiveduri, kanapabandanika • Urdu: Banda

Medicinal uses

Vanda tessellata (Roxb.)Hook.ex G. Don is a monopodial orchid and epiphytic in habitat with leafy stem of medium size plant body. It is renowned for its horticultural and high medicinal value as well.

The roots are alexiteric and antipyretic; useful in dyspepsia, bronchitis, inflammations, piles and hiccups. Externally the root is used in rheumatism and allied disorders and diseases of the nervous system. It is also employed as a remedy for secondary syphilis and scorpion stings. The juice of the leaves is used topically in otitis and a paste of them finds use as a febrifuge. The roots possess significant anti-inflammatory activity. and exhibit potent analgesic effects combined with a relatively low toxicity A novel aphrodisiac compound has been found in the orchid

Vanda tessellata’s Traditional practices

In the Yunani system, the root is used as a tonic for the liver and brain; effective against bronchitis, piles, lumbago, toothache, and boils of the scalp; it also is said to lessen inflammation and heal fractures. The root is said to be fragrant, bitter and useful in rheumatism and allied disorders, in which it is prescribed in a variety of forms. It is also used in the composition of several medicated oils for external application in rheumatism and diseases of the nervous system. In Chota Nagpur, the leaves are pounded into a paste and then applied to the body during fever. A compound decoction of this root is administered in cases of Hemiplegia as some Indian physicians consider it useful in rheumatism and all nervous diseases. The leaves are pounded and the paste is applied to the body to bring down fever; the juice is dropped in the ear for the treatment of Otitis media and other inflammatory conditions. The roots are used in Dyspepsia, Bronchitis, Rheumatism, and also in fever; they are reported to possess antibacterial and anti-tubercular properties. The herb is also used for Sciatica. The leaves are used by the Santhal girls for making anklets.

is intrinsically plausible. In similar vein, Tantric magicians are said to have ingested the fleshy roots of this species as an aid to divination, along with the tubers of another orchid, Dendrobium macraei (synonyms Ephemerantha macraei and Flickingeria macraei, but see page Flickingeria re. Unaccepted genus name still used in horticulture trade

Vanda tessellata: Bangla Name is Rasna

Scientific Name: Vanda Tessellata

There are about 50 species under the genus Vanda. Despite having so few species, this orchid has gained widespread popularity due to its eye-catching variety of flowers.

The name Vanda comes from Sanskrit; naturally it extends to India, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Philippines, southern China, and northern Australia. Vanda coerulea is best known for its blue perennial flowers, it is known as Blue Vanda. In Mizo language, Blue Vanda is called October Orchid.

They are parasitic, a small number of species symbiotic or terrestrial. Their growth is of monopodial type, the leaves are different in different species. Flowers of different colors and styles bring variety to the mass.

Ethnomedicinal use of Vanda tessellata

Ethnomedicinal use In traditional medicine Vanda tessellata is used to treat various ailments. But almost all the uses are not scientifically validated. The root is considered as antipyretic . The plant is occasionally given as a cure for snake bites. Combined with other drugs it forms snake and scorpion remedies. In Ayurveda, the root is considered an antipyretic and an antidote for poisoning. They use it in dyspepsia, bronchitis, inflammation, rheumatic pain, hiccough, tremors and diseases of the abdomen . Yunani practitioners and others hold it to be laxative and tonic to the liver and the brain; they prescribe it for bronchitis, piles, lumbago, toothache and boils on the scalp. They further say that it heals fractures. The roots are reported to possess antibacterial (including antituberculosis) and anti-inflammatory properties . In Northern India, in traditional medical practices, Rasana root is commonly prescribed in a variety of forms for rheumatism and allied disorders. It enters into the composition of several medicated oils for external application in rheumatic pains, diseases of the nervous system, etc. .

                                             By Bmantha - Own work