Bael consists of the unripe or half-ripe fruits or their slices or irregular pieces of Aegle marmelos Corr., belonging to family Rutaceae.
BAEL
Synonyms
Bael fruits, Bel, Indian Bael, Bengal Quince, Belan.
Biological Source
Bael consists of the unripe or half-ripe fruits or their
slices or irregular pieces of Aegle
marmelos Corr., belonging to family Rutaceae.
Geographical Source
Sub-Himalayan tract and throughout India, especially Central
and Southern India, Burma, occurring as wild and also cultivated.
Collection
Tree is deciduous about 12 m in height. It is a sacred tree
and the leaves known as Bilipatra are
used for worshipping Lord Shiva. The tree has strong, straight spines, compound
trifoliate leaves and berry fruit. Fruits are collected during April–May. After
collection, epicarp removed and usually cut into transverse slices or irregular
pieces.
Morphology
T.S. of Bael fruit
Chemical Constituents
The chief constituent of the drug is marmelosin A, B and C
(0.5%), which is a furocoumarin. Other coumarins are marmesin, psoralin and
umbelliferone. The drug also contains carbohydrates (11–17%), protein, volatile
oil and tannins. The pulp also contains good amount of vitamins C and A. Two
alkaloids O-methylhalfordinol and iso-pentylhalfordinol have been isolated from
fruits. Other alkaloids reported in the drug are angelenine, marmeline and
dictamine.
Uses
Drug is very popular in Ayurveda and is used in diarrhoea
and dysentery. Action is attributed to mucilage. Leaves contain alkaloids and
are considered useful in diabetes. The oil obtained from seeds possesses
antibacterial, antiprotozoal and antifungal properties. The root of bael is one of the constituents of
well-known Ayurvedic preparation Dasmula.
In large doses it may lead to abortion, therefore, it can be
used as abortifacient agent and hence it should not be used in pregnant women.
Substitutes
Mangosteen fruits: Garcinia
mangostana Linn
(Guttiferae) is a substitute for this
fruit, and it can be identified by the darker rind and the wedge shaped radiate
stigmas.
Wood apple: Limonia acidissima Coor (Rutaceae) is a five lobed fruit with rough exterior part.
Pomegranate rind: Punica granatum Linn (Punicaceae) contain triangular impressions on the
seeds and has astrin-gent taste.
Marketed Products
It is one of the ingredients of the preparations known as
Lukol for leucorrhoea; Chyawanprash (Himalaya Drug Company); Isabbeal and
Bilwadi churna (Baidyanath Company); Madhushantak (Jamuna Pharma) and Sage
bilwa churn (Sage Herbals).
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