Wood apple is a whitish round fruit, with a hard woody pericarp and fragrant flesh. The tree is spiny with feather-like leaves and reddish flowers. The exterior of the fruits and branches is pretty coarse and covered with a white blossom.
Wood apple is native to South India. It is also cultivated in tropical Asia.
Wood apple consists of 64.2% moisture, 7.1% protein, 3.7% fat, 1.9% minerals, 5.0% fibre and 18.1% carbohydrates per 100 grams. Its mineral cent and vitamin contents are calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin. Its vital energy value is 134.
Wood apple is rich in oxalic, malic, citric acid and a concentrated tannic acid. The leaves produce a volatile oil.
Methods of usage
Wood apple is primarily significant for smooth flow of bowels, in addition to gynaecological disorders, urticaria, biliousness, or children`s ailments.
Healing Power and Medicinal Properties of wood apple
The flesh of the unprocessed fruit is useful in checking secretion or haemorrhage. The mature fruit is freshening, perfumed, digestive and a vitaliser. It is valuable in forestalling and remedying scurvy and in alleviating gas. Its leaves are not only fragrant, but also possess some astringent and carminative dimensions. The gum that the stem oozes has a solacing effect on the skin and mucous membranes.
Digestive Disorders cured by wood apple
Mashed seedless flesh of the unprocessed fruit is advantageous in the treatment of dysentery, diarrhoea and piles. The flesh of the mature fruit, blended with cardamom, honey and cumin seeds are efficacious for indigestion, diarrhoea and piles. The gum is also functional for curing diarrhoea and dysentery. The diaphanous viscous substance seeping from the stem when cut or broken can be constructively used in bowel troubles. It also relieves tenesmus, i.e., forceful exerting to relieve the bowels.
Women`s Disorders cured by wood apple
A mixture of the mature flesh of the fruit, cardamom, honey and cumin seeds, consumed regularly in the morning strengthens droopy breasts. It is also useful in forestalling cancer of the breast and uterus and helps heal infertility due to an insufficiency of the hormone progesterone. Approximately 90 grams of the sap of the fresh bark, 2 corns of pepper, a few drops of pure cow`s ghee and a dessertspoon of honey, forestalls any post-partum snags. It is had twice everyday, just after childbirth.
Children`s Diseases healed by wood apple
Juice of the untoughened leaves, administered with milk and sugar, is exceedingly helpful in bowel complaints of children. A pulverisation of the leaves can also be consumed in 2 to 4 gram dosages for similar complaints. The flesh of the mature fruit can also be used constructively in the treatment of stomach upsets of children. It should be given in 30 to 60 grams dosages.
Urticaria healed by wood apple
Approximately 30 ml of fresh leaf juice, blended with cumin is handy in the treatment of urticaria--an allergic disease distinguished by aching red round weals on the skin. It should be taken twice a day.
Biliousness remedied by wood apple
The bark of the tree is beneficial for biliousness. It can be taken both in the pulverised or decoction form. The juice of the leaves can also be massaged on the skin rashes caused by biliousness.
Other Uses of wood apple
Hiccups - Wood apple in the form of chutney or sherbet is useful in remedying hiccups. It is prepared with salt and tamarind.
Aphrodisiac - A grind of the leaves, dried in shade, with an equal quantity of sugar candy is useful in spermatorrhoea, or uncontrolled ejaculation, untimely ejaculation and functional impotency. One teaspoon of this powder must be taken with cold water thrice a day in these disorders. Approximately 20 grams of gum, thawed in cow`s milk and mixed with sugar, is also effective in spermatorrhoea and premature ejaculation. It can be consumed thrice a day.
