Devdar, also called the Himalayan Cedar, is a tall evergreen coniferous tree native to the Western Himalayas. It is considered sacred in India and is known for its aromatic wood, which yields essential oil used in traditional medicine. It holds antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-arthritic properties.
Devdar Scientific Names
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Gymnosperms
- Class: Pinopsida
- Order: Pinales
- Family:Pinaceae
- Genus: Cedrus
- Species:C. deodara
Devdar Common Names
- English: Himalayan Cedar
- Hindi: Devdar, Devdaru
- Sanskrit: Devadaru
- Gujarati: Devdaaru
- Marathi: Devdar
- Punjabi: Diyar
- Tibetan: Shing-kun
Devdar uses
- Respiratory Health – Used in Ayurvedic formulations for cough, asthma, and bronchitis due to its expectorant and soothing properties.
- Anti-inflammatory and Pain Relief – Acts as a natural analgesic and is traditionally used for joint pain, arthritis, and swelling.
- Skin Disorders – Its oil is applied externally to treat eczema, wounds, and fungal infections.
- Nervous System Support – Used to calm the nervous system, relieve stress and anxiety.
- Antimicrobial Action – Known for its antibacterial and antifungal activity in traditional practices.
Phytochemical Constituents
Key bioactive compounds found in Devdar include:
- Cedrol – a sesquiterpene alcohol with calming and antimicrobial effects
- α-Cedrene and β-Cedrene – antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory compounds
- Thujopsene – contributes to antimicrobial and antifungal actions
- Himachalol – possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity
- Deodardione and Himachalene – support analgesic and anti-arthritic actions
References
Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part-I, Volume IV, Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India.
Sharma, P. V. (1996). Dravyaguna Vigyan, Vol. 2. Chaukhambha Bharati Academy.
Kirtikar, K. R., & Basu, B. D. (2008). Indian Medicinal Plants, Volume III. International Book Distributors.
Raina, V. K., et al. (2008). “Essential oil composition of Cedrus deodara wood and its antimicrobial activity.” Journal of Essential Oil Research, 20(4), 312–314.
Kaul, V. K., et al. (2003). “Chemical composition of the essential oil of Cedrus deodara wood.” Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 18(4), 336–338.
Pandey, G., et al. (2014). “Phytochemical and pharmacological profile of Cedrus deodara: A review.” International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, 5(8), 3083–3090.