''Sapindus mukorossi'', commonly known as Indian soapberry, washnut, or ritha, is a species of tree in the family Sapindaceae. It is a deciduous tree that grows in the lower foothills and midhills of the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...

at altitudes of up to . It is also native to western coastal

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

, Maharashtra, and

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

in India; as well as

southern China South China () is a geographical and cultural region that covers the southernmost part of China. Its precise meaning varies with context. A notable feature of South China in comparison to the rest of China is that most of its citizens are not n ...

, and

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as known by its many indigenous peoples. It is tolerant to reasonably poor soil, can be planted around farmers’ homes,Forestry Nepal (2014). ''Sapindus mukorossi.'' Retrieved from http://www.forestrynepal.org/resources/trees/sapindus-mukorossi and one tree can produce of fruit per year.Poudel, K. L. (2011). Trade potentiality and ecological analysis of NTFPs in Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal. ''Himalayan Research Papers Archives'', 61 . Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1928/3300

Uses

The value of the tree mostly comes from its fruit, which can be used for many pharmacological and cleansing purposes.

Cleanser/insecticide

The soapnut contains the compound of saponin, which has natural cleansing properties, and therefore the soapnut can be used as a cleanser for hair, skin, and clothing. These saponins are also useful as insecticides, for purposes such as removing head lice off the scalp.

Surfactant

Methods of extracting the maximum amount of oil from existing oil reserves has become a scientific focus in a world that has become dependent on fossil fuels. Researchers have found that the Ritha fruit can be used in an enhanced oil recovery technique. More specifically, Chhetri, Watts, Rahman, and Islam (2009) found that extracts from the soapnut can be used as an organic surfactant to increase the mobility of oil from the fields. In addition, researchers have demonstrated the potential for the soapnut to be used as a natural surfactant for washing arsenic from soils that are rich in iron.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q14530198 mukorossi Flora of the Indian subcontinent Flora of Indo-China Saponaceous plants