One of India’s most versatile and useful
medicinal plants is the bilva (Aegle
marmelos), also known as Indian quince,
bael or wood apple, whose medicinal
properties have been described in the
ancient medical treatise in Sanskrit, the
Charaka Samhita. Indigenous to the
Indian subcontinent, the bilva tree
originates in the Eastern Ghats and
Central India. A special feature of this tree
is that all its parts – stem, bark, roots,
leaves and fruit at all stages of maturity –
have medicinal value and have been used
as such for centuries. Further, it has great
mythological significance for Hindus and
finds mention in the Yajurveda.
Traditionally, the bilva tree and its leaves
are considered
sacred to Lord
Shiva, who is
believed to reside
under this tree.
Hence the tree is
grown extensively
all over India,
especially in
temple gardens.
Apart from India,
the bilva is also
grown in
Pakistan, Sri
Lanka,
Bangladesh,
Myanmar,
Thailand and
most of the
South-East Asian
countries.
The bilva tree is medium-sized and
slow-growing, reaching a height of 35 to
59 feet. It has a stout trunk with spreading,
spiny branches. The fragrant flowers,
which grow in clusters, have fleshy
greenish-yellow petals. The fruit is round
or oval, with a thin, hard, woody shell that
turns yellowish when ripe. Inside, the pulp
is yellowish-orange to pale brown in
colour, resinous and aromatic, divided
into multiple segments. Numerous seeds,
densely covered with fibrous hair, are
embedded in the pulp.
Different parts of the bilva tree are
used in Ayurvedic and folk medicinal
remedies for a variety of ailments. The
bilva root is one of the ingredients of
dashamoola (literally ‘ten roots’), a
common Ayurvedic formulation used to
treat loss of appetite. The pulp of the ripe
fruit is an excellent laxative that cleans
and tones up the intestines. The unripe
fruit is used to treat weak digestion, low
appetite, and poor absorption of nutrition.
The pulp of the unripe fruit, dried and
powdered, is used in remedies for
diarrhoea and dysentery. Because of their
high tannin content, bilva leaves are
useful in reducing inflammation and help
healing of ulcers. Water in which bilva
leaves have been soaked overnight is
drunk to relieve the pain and discomfort
associated with peptic ulcer. The juice of
the leaves, mixed with sesame oil and
tempered with peppercorns and cumin
seeds, when applied regularly to the scalp,
builds up resistance to recurrent coughs
and colds. The leaf juice, drunk every
morning on an empty stomach, is believed
to control the blood sugar levels and help
in the management of diabetes. A
decoction of the leaves is used as a cure
for fever, cough, and asthmatic complaints.
A hot poultice of the leaves is
applied to the chest for acute bronchitis.
The bilva fruit is generally eaten in
processed forms. The pulp of the ripe fruit
is scooped out, deseeded and beaten with
milk and sugar to make sharbat – a drink
that is popular for its laxative, tonic and
digestive effects. Further, the pulp can be
eaten with or without sugar or blended
with coconut milk and palm sugar syrup.
It is also used in chutneys and for making
jelly and murabba (jam).
