Possible uses of wonder crop Safed Musli (Chlorophylum boriviliamum).

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

As the area and production under Safed Musli are increasing in India, now more and more farmers have started the search for potential markets. Although many Musli growers claim that there is annual demand of 300-500 tons dry Musli roots in international markets (many claims it is 1200 tons) but officially no record is available.

Chlorophytum species around the world.
S.No.	Species	Other Names / Remarks
1	C. bowkeri
2	C. heynei
3	C. krookianum
4	C. macrophyllum
5	C. rigidum
6	C. undulatum
7	C. capense	C. elatum, Asphodelus capensis, Anthericum elatum.
8	C. laxum		Katki Hills, Belgaum, Dharwar, North and South Kanara, Deccan Peninsula in India
9	C. borivilianum		Dang forests (Gujarat), Aravali Hills, cultivated species in India
10	C. arundinaceum		All districts of Chota Nagpur, Vindhya, Satpura and Aravali Hills, parts of Cental India, Tarai region of N-E Himalayas in Assam, W. Bengal and Bihar. in India
11	C. tuberosum	Wild occurence in India
12	C. comosum	C. comosum 'Mandaianum'	Popular garden plant
		C. comosum 'Vittatum' (Spider plant, Aeroplane plant)
13	C. zingiberastrum
14	C. bichetii
15	C. malayense
16	C. syngonium
17	C. brasiliense	Brazilian Chlorophyte	Rare in natural habitat in Brazil
18	C. amaniense	Fire Flash	Africa (Gabon and Cameroon)
19	C. alismifolium
20	C. brevipes
21	C.pussilum
22	C. seretii
23	C. sparsiflorum
24	C. stenopetalum
25	C. parviflorum
26	C. durbanense		South Africa
27	C. hasslerianum		Paraguay
28	C. virdis
29	C. nepalense
30	C. orchidantheroides
31	C. filipendulum
32	C. silvaticum
33	C. striatum
34	C. baruchae	Reported from India
35	C. chinense
36	C. montanum
37	C. madagascariensis
38	C. gallabatense
39	C. zanguebaricum
40	C. piliosissimum
41	C. haygarthii
42	C. attenuatum		Western Ghats, Southwards to Coimbatore, West Peninsula in India
43	C. breviscapum		Parts of Konkan to Travancore in Kerala, Eastern Himalaya, Bihar and West Bengal, Sikkim Himalay, Belgaum and South Peninsula in India

This is correct that it is exported to international traders but there is no huge demand as claimed. In fact, Dr. Bordia from Rajasthan, the pioneer Safed Musli researcher of India, have mentioned in his research paper that seeing the present demand one can expect the projected demand of 300-500 tons dry roots in future. But many Musli growers presented this projected demand wrongly to the beginners that there is a demand of 300-500 tons dry roots every year. Many species of Chlorophytum have been reported in different parts of the world. In other parts of the world, it is used as ornamental plant. In India, it is considered as valuable medicinal herb. In reference literatures related to different systems of medicine in India, Safed Musli as medicinal herb, holds a reputed position. Most of the pharmaceutical companies engaged in manufacturing of Safed Musli based formulations are still dependent on Safed Musli collected from wild. As a regular visitor to Safed Musli rich forests I am aware that due to heavy demand, Musli population is decreasing in
its natural habitat and if timely steps are not taken, very soon it will become an endangered species. The commercial cultivation of Safed Musli in India is helping in reducing the pressure on its natural population. I would like to mention the awareness of the Maharashtra forest department. In Maharashtra, the collection of Safed Musli roots or herb from wild is officially banned. Only after cultivation one can sell in to markets legally. This great effort is saving the Musli in its natural habitat in Maharashtra State. Unfortunately, the other Indian States are not ready to learn this lesson from the Maharashtra forest department. In my State Chhattisgarh there is no such ban and as result, the natural population and associated species are decreasing at alarming rate. The Chhattisgarh forests fulfil the national demand upto great extent. Once the forest departments of these states will ban the natural collection of Safed Musli the demand of Musli collected from agricultural fields will increase. Initially the commercial cultivation was restricted to limited pockets. Today it is under cultivation in almost every corner of India. This is the best time for the processors and researchers to develop and search new potential and promising uses of Safed Musli. In my previous articles I have mentioned that the natives living
in Safed Musli rich forest regions use the fresh leaves of Safed Musli as Pot herb. Although they use it as curry just for taste but the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh are aware of its
medicinal uses and properties. According to them, one time eating of this herb in growing season, make the body enough resistant to fight against diseases round the year. They also claim that it possess anti-ageing properties and chemicals. Although it has yet not proven through modern science but the healers have no doubt on this point. I have tasted the curry prepared from Musli leaves. It is delicious and through improved cooking methods one can make it more tasty. I have introduced it in many leading hotels of Chhattisgarh successfully. As you know, if ones customers like the taste, then there is no need to search for markets. I personally
feel that there is a need to think and act on this aspect. I am aware that collection of young leaves will result in poor root yield and roots are the part having high demand, but I am
confident that our plant breeders will think in this aspect and through research, try to develop dual purpose varieties of Safed Musli. The experts of plant breeding can help us in developing the need based varieties.

In India, there is no variety of Safed Musli has been released so far. This field is blank and there is a tremendous scope. In India, there is hardly any Safed Musli Gene bank. With the help of non-governmental organization SAMPDA (Samagra Adivasi Medicinal Plants Development Associated), Kondagaon (Bastar), we are trying to establish the Gene bank exclusive for Safed Musli. We are maintaining almost all types found in Chhattisgarh in this Gene bank. Last year from Bhopalpatnam region of Chhattisgarh. I collected leafy Musli herb. This leafy type is preferred by the natives and healers to prepare the curry. With the help of the researchers of SAMPDA, I am conducting a systematic research to know the effect of leaf removal on Safed Musli production. We are trying to find the critical point where leaf removal can not result in significant yield reduction. We will be happy to present the leaf type of Musli to interested plant breeders from any corner of the world, wishing to conduct studies on this important aspect. I have tasted the pickles prepared from fresh Musli roots in many Musli farms of India. This is good effect and initiative. But a lot of efforts are still needed to make the perfect pickles. In reference literatures, there is no description of Safed Musli pickles. This is the new use developed by the innovative Musli growers of India. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh were also not aware of Musli Achar (pickles). When I presented some samples few years back, they tried it on their patients and also on themselves. Their initial observations are encouraging. Their increasing demand for pickles and also using local material for pickling are remarkable. I would like to request the food experts to start experiments on this important aspect at your earliest and generate the information on upto how much time it can be kept safe? How new types of pickles can be prepared in combination of other pickles. Also find out that Musli pickles prepared from roots possess same properties of dried roots or not? Many diabetic patients using this pickles just for taste have found it useful to manage this problem, accidentally. We have informed about this accidental finding to the healers and now they are testing it with the help of their traditional methods. If these finding are true then, the Musli pickles can bring the real revolution in to field of diabetes management. Few years back I proposed, the project of nutritious Musli biscuits, to a leading Biscuit company of India. For their experiments and trial, our farmers supplied both wet and dry Musli roots. The experiment was successful. We received different types of samples to taste and select the best one. The binding property of Musli's natural chemicals played vital role in development of herbal biscuits. Before launching it in world market, the company wants to conduct clinical trials to know its long term effects. As Musli Biscuit is not mentioned in ancient literatures, without clinical trials it is difficult to launch it in world market. The trials are still in progress. We have also tried to make chips and wafers from Musli roots, like potato but failed to achieve this target. The company is trying to find out that whether Musli Biscuits can be used for growing children or not? After getting the information on Musli pickles having anti-diabetic properties, now the company is conducting a separate trial focused on diabetic patients. I would like to mention here clearly that the possible uses about which I am writing in this article are new for the world community. I am not ignoring or denying the medicinal properties and uses of raw Musli roots. As I have already written a lot on this aspect, I am not repeating it in present one. The fashion and addiction of chewing tobacco and Gutkha are becoming curse for the Indian youths. Very few users know the fact that in these so-called harmful Gutkha pouches, not everything is harmful to health. You will be surprised to know that the Gutkha industries are becoming one of the potential market of Safed Musli roots. They manufactures are adding dried Safed Musli roots in these Gutkha combinations as filler and binder. And knowingly or say unknowingly, the valuable Musli roots are going inside the users body and providing them health benefits. The experts claim that over 30 percent of total national demand of Musli is in Gutkha and chewing tobacco industries. Last year when I got the trade inquiry from the leading carpet manufacturing company of India about Safed Musli, I surprised. This is new information for the readers that there is a fair demand of Musli roots in carpet manufacturing industries. I am still not aware that what they do with this nutritious roots. When I raised this inquiry among experts at National Workshop on Indian Medicinal and Aromatic Plants with special emphasis on Safed Musli, the millennium crop, many experts replied that they are using it for polishing the strings and threads in order to get the shining. They further informed that this polishing helps in repelling the damage causing insects away from carpet. Does it means that Musli roots possess insect repelling properties? Wow !!! this is new area opened. I have never thought to conduct experiment to evaluate the insecticidal properties of Safed Musli. Dear Entomologists, be aware and please start research on this future crop. As researcher, I am aware that no imagination is waste. Through proper thinking, we can convert all imagination into grand success. Few months back I got opportunity to interact with Mr. Ajay Mittal, one of the leading Musli growers of India, on possible uses of Safed Musli. By seeing its sticky nature, we talked on possibilities of making nutritious gum for different purposes.

The above mentioned possible uses are not enough. This is our moral responsibility to develop new uses of Safed Musli herb in order to prepare safe path for the thousands Safed Musli growers. As I warn in my every article, in the name of quantity please do not use chemical inputs in Safed Musli cultivation, otherwise the Musli will be of no value. No one will be agreed to make its biscuits, gum, or use it as pot herb.

Thank you very much for reading the article.