Marotti (Hydnocarpus pentandrus)

Hydnocarpus pentandrus, marotti, is a Western Ghats tree whose seed oil, sold as chaulmoogra oil, was the main treatment for leprosy for centuries, until antibiotics replaced it in the 1940s. In 1916 the chemist Alice Ball developed a way to make the oil injectable, a landmark in the history of the disease. Today it belongs to history, and the seeds are toxic.

Botanical name: Hydnocarpus pentandrus (Buch.-Ham.) Oken
Family: Achariaceae
Tamil: Marotti
Hindi: Chaulmoogra
Parts used: Seed oil (historical; not a kitchen oil)
Habit: Western Ghats oil tree; not a tonic
Last updated: 2026-10-25

How to recognise Marotti

It is a medium-sized evergreen tree with alternate, glossy, toothed leaves.

The small greenish-white flowers have five stamens, which is what pentandrus means.

The fruit is a round, hard-shelled ball the size of a small orange, with brown fuzz, containing many oily seeds embedded in pulp.

The true chaulmoogra of Burma and north-east India is Hydnocarpus kurzii. Marotti was the main Indian source of the oil.

Traditional use of Marotti

Leprosy treatment

Chaulmoogra oil was applied to the skin and taken by mouth for leprosy in Indian, Chinese and later Western medicine. Injected forms were used in leprosy hospitals until the 1940s.

History of medicine

Kerala practice

Marotti oil was used externally for skin diseases and burned in lamps.

Kerala household practice

Modern notes on Marotti

Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy, free in India through the national programme. Chaulmoogra oil has no place in modern treatment.

The oil contains unusual cyclopentenyl fatty acids, and the seeds contain cyanogenic compounds.

Marotti safety

Do not eat the seeds or drink the oil. They are toxic.

Ecology and sourcing

It grows in evergreen and semi-evergreen forest of the Western Ghats, often along streams.

The fruit is eaten by some mammals despite its toxins, and seeds are dispersed by water.

Related plants

Questions about Marotti

Does chaulmoogra oil cure leprosy?

No. Modern multidrug therapy cures leprosy. The oil is historical.

What older names does Hydnocarpus pentandrus go by?

Hydnocarpus wightianus.

Who was Alice Ball?

The chemist who developed an injectable form of chaulmoogra oil in 1916.

Is marotti oil still sold?

It is still sold for external use in some traditional markets. It should never be taken by mouth.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.