Ratanjot Hindi name or Alkanna Tinctoria (Botanical name) is an ancient Ayurvedic herb and is commonly known by many intriguing names: Alkanet (English name), or Hoary Puccoon to name a few. This perennial plant belongs to the Borage family and grows well in tropical and Mediterranean climates. It is small in height (grows to about 1 meter only) and comes with blue flowers and dark red rootsAlkanet is traditionally used in Indian food under the name ratan jot, and lends its red colour to some versions of the curry dish rogan josh. In Australia, alkanet is approved for use as a food colouring, but in the European Union, it is not.It has been used as colorant for lipstick and rouge (cosmetics).In alkaline environments, alkanet dye has a blue color, with the color changing again to crimson on addition of an acid.The colour is red at pH 6.1, purple at 8.8 and blue at pH 10. Hence, it can be used to do alkali-acid litmus tests (but the usual litmus test paper does not use alkanet as the agent and its color change is closer to pH 7).The colouring agent in A. tinctoria root has been chemically isolated and named alkannin.In folk medicine, it is also used to treat abscesses and inflammations. Other Names: Shanjar, Khas al-himaar, Ratanjot, Alkanet, Spanish Bugloss, Buglosse azure, Natternkopf-Lotwurz, Ratanjot, Laljari, Yatilung, Yarilung, Onosma echioides Linn, Shankaru, Laljari, Koame, Maharanga, Ratanjot , Maharanga, Dhamani, Ratanjot

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