A Profile
Latin Name: Murraya koenigii
Indian Names: Karipatta, Metha Neem, Kariveppilai, Gandhela, Kadhi Neem,etc .
Family: Rutaceae
Appearance: A large shrub or a small tree.
Distribution: Widely cultivated in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and North India for its leaves which are used for flavouring curries. Grows wildly in Indian forests.
Curry Leaves: How to use them
| Ailment | Prescription |
| Bilious vomiting | 1 tsp finely powdered tree bark is thoroughly mixed in cold water and taken. |
| Morning sickness | Juice of 15-20 tender curry leaves is mixed with 2 tsp limejuice and 1 tsp sugar and taken in the morning. |
| Diarrhoea, dysentery, piles | Juice of tender curry leaves (15 to 20) mixed and taken with honey. |
| Insect bite | The fruits of the tree are crushed and mixed with lime juice and applied on affected parts. |
| Bruises, skin eruptions | A fine paste of curry leaves is applied as poultices on affected parts. |
| Falling hair, dandruff, greying of hair | Finely powdered dry lime peel, dried curry leaves, shikhakai, fenugreek seeds and green gram (all in equal quantity), mixed together and used as hair wash frequently |
| Obesity, diabetes due to hereditary factors | Eat 10 fresh, fully grown curry leaves every morning for three to four months. (Avoid fatty foods, sweets and alcohol). |
| Early development of cataract. Also brighten eyes | Fresh curry leaf juice suffused in the eyes. |
| Premature greying of hair | Juice or chutney made of curry leaves is taken daily. |
| Digestive problems | Extract juice from 15 gm curry leaves and mix it with butter-milk. Take twice or thrice daily. |
| Vomiting, nausea | Soak a handful of curry leaves in 1 litre hot water for 2hrs. Take 30 ml of the filtrate three times a day. |
| Tastelessness, stomach upset, pitta aggravation | Put some crushed leaves, bark and root of curry leaf tree in the drinking water and drink. |
| Constipation, indigestion | Dry the leaves in shade . Add some pepper, salt, cumin (zeera), dried ginger. Powder all of them together. Mix this powder in ghee and take it along with rice. |
| Nausea, pitta aggravation, body heat, stomach upset | Make a chutney of fresh leaf by adding little tamarind, fried salt, fried red chillies. This chutney can be eaten with rice or chappatti. |
| Nausea | An infusion of roasted leaf. |
| Dysentery | 5 tender leaves eaten raw. |
| Bilious vomiting | Mix 1 tsp. of finely ground bark of curry leaf tree in cold water and drink. |
| Burns | Curry leaves are applied as poultices over affected areas. |
| Constipation | Mix dried curry leaf powder with 1 tsp. of honey and take it twice or thrice a day. |
| Retains natural hair colour | Boil curry leaves in coconut oil till they are charred. Cool and use as hair-tonic. |
| Helps relieve kidney pain | Juice of the roots of curry leaf tree are taken with some honey. |