Description

Intellect tree (Celastrus paniculatus) is a woody liana commonly known as black oil plant, climbing staff tree, and  is a woody climber, a most widely used medicinal herb in Unani Medicare System. It is a large climber, height up to 18m with stem diameter up to 23cm. This climbing shrub grows throughout India at elevations up to 1,800 m (5,900 ft)

Characteristics:

Black Oil Plant is an unarmed large woody climber. Alternately arranged leaves are very variable - elliptic, ovate, broadly, obovate or circular, up to 6 × 11 cm. Base is wedge-shaped, obtuse or rounded, tip is acute, acuminate or obtuse. Flowers are borne in large panicles at the end of branches. Male flowers are minute, pale green. Sepals nearly circular, toothed. Petals are oblong or obovate-oblong, entire. Female flowers having sepals, petals and disk similar to those of male flowers. Capsule round, bright yellow.

Medicinal Uses:

According to Ayurveda, leaves are emmenagogue whereas seeds are acrid, bitter, hot, appetizer, laxative, emetic, aphrodisiac, powerful brain tonic, cause burning sensation. Oil enriches blood and cures abdominal complains. According on Unani system of medicine, seeds are bitter, expectorant, brain and liver tonic, cure joint-pains, paralysis and weakness. Oil stomachic, tonic, good for cough and asthma; used in leprosy, cures headache and leucoderma.