Indian Plum

The Indian Plum is an average size deciduous tree with dense spreading crown. It grows to a height of over 6 metres and belongs to the plant family Rhamnaceae. The bark of the tree may be black, grey or brown, rough and deeply furrowed. The branches are usually armed with spines and prickles, mostly in pairs, one straight and the other curved. The leaves are 3-6.3 cm. long, oblong or ovate with 3 nerves with a shiny upper surface. The flowers are 3-8.5 mm. in diameter, greenish yellow, in dense axillary cymes. The fruit is a globose drupe which turns from green to yellow to orange and finally to a reddish brown. It contains a single seed surrounded by an edible fleshy pulp.

MEDICINAL USE:

* Biliousness or excess secretion of bile and headache.

* Boils, dysentery and diarrhoea.

* Antipyretic or reduces fever, helps in reducing obesity, anthelmintic, bleeding gums, healing of wounds and for liver complaints.

* Work as a laxative, tuberculosis and blood diseases.

* Eye diseases, cough, asthma and leucorrhoea.

* Scorpion stings.

HOW TO USE:

* The decoction of the root of the tree takes care of biliousness and diarrhoea.

* The decoction of the bark is a good cure for boils, dysentery and diarrhoea.

* The infusion of the leaves is taken to reduce fever, in reducing obesity, as anthelmintic, for bleeding gums, healing of wounds and for liver complaints.

* The consumption of the ripe fruits works as a laxative, helps cure tuberculosis and takes care of blood diseases.

* The decoction of the seeds takes care of eye diseases, cough, asthma and leucorrhoea,

* The young leaves pounded along with the leaves of wild fig are applied over scorpion stings to bring relief from pain.

PARTS USED:

The roots, bark, leaves, ripe fruits and seeds.

DOSE:

Normal Dosage For:

Adults: 4 or 5 cups a day.

Aged 6 to 9 years: 2 cups a day

Aged 2 to 5 years: 1 cup a day

1 to 2 years: 1/2 cup a day

Below 1 year: 1/4 or less cup a day

A Useful Table for Quick Measurements:

1 tbsp = 5 grams (green herb)

1 dessertspoon = 2 grams (dry herb)

1 teaspoon = 25 drops

1 cup = 16 tbsp

1 litre = 7 or 8 cup