Нард

Botany and origin

Nard (Nardostachys jatamansi, spikenard) is a perennial of the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae. It is the only species in the genus Nardostachys and belongs to the subfamily Valerianoideae. Its flowers are pink and bell-shaped. The word spike in the English name refers to the inflorescence, or flowering stem, of the plant.

The plant grows primarily in a belt through Kumaon, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, at elevations of 3,000-5,000 m. It also occurs in northern Myanmar and in western and central China. Valerian has sometimes been incorrectly referred to as N. jatamansi, but unlike valerian, spikenard grows only in the Himalayan region.

Chemistry

Sesquiterpenes make up the major portion of the volatile compounds of the oil, with jatamansone, also known as (-)-valeranone, dominant. Valeranone has the formula C₁₅H₂₆O and a molecular weight of 222.37. Many coumarins are also present in the oil. The alkaloid actinidine has been isolated from the oil, together with valerenal and valerenic acid. Nardostachysin, a terpenoid ester, is among the other products found in the rhizomes.

In oils of Nardostachys jatamansi collected in three regions of Nepal, Taplejung, Gorkha and Jumla, sesquiterpenes were the major compounds in all three samples. Calarene, seychellene, α-patchoulene, valencene, 7-epi-α-selinene and patchouli alcohol were among the compounds common to all three samples. Valeranone was among the major components of the oils from Taplejung and Gorkha, at 37.42% and 40.24%. The oil from Jumla differed, with dihydrotagetone (21.30%), valencene (16.58%), β-pinene (12.56%) and guaia-6,9-diene (10.93%) as the major components.

Preliminary research on the chemical components of the plant indicates that it contains acaciin, ursolic acid, octacosanol, kanshone A, nardosinonediol, nardosinone, aristolen-9beta-ol, oleanolic acid and beta-sitosterol.

Traditional medicine

Nard's medicinal use is well recognized in Bhutanese, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Nepalese and Tibetan medicine. Nard oil is also used as a sedative and as a herbal medicine said to fight insomnia, birth difficulties, and other minor ailments. Inhalations with added oil help relieve symptoms of colds, coughs and nasal congestion. The oil is also used in Ayurvedic practices.

Conservation

Nardostachys jatamansi is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN and is in Appendix II of CITES. It is considered endangered due to overharvesting for folk medicine, overgrazing, loss of habitat, and forest degradation. At a workshop in Shimla in 2003, experts agreed that more than 80% of the wild population in the Himalayan region of India had declined over the previous 10 years.

Appendix II covers species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction but whose trade must be controlled so that their use does not endanger their survival. In 2007 Appendix II was revised to include the essential oil. International trade in the roots and essential oil is restricted without the appropriate permits. An estimated 25-30,000 Nepalese households derive up to 20% of their income from spikenard harvesting.

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