Details :

General description(Size, commonly seen , status of availability etc.)

Mimusops elengi is a medium-sized evergreen tree with a height of 16m found in tropical forests of Northern Australia, South and Southeast Asia, particularly in the coastal areas of Indian subcontinent, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Myanmar. It is commonly known as Spanish cherry, Medlar and bullet wood. The tree possesses glossy, dark green, oval-shaped leaves which are 5–14 cm long. The flowers are cream, hairy, and scented. The fruits are yellow to brown in colour and fleshy, containing a large brown seed. The bark of the tree is thick and appears dark brownish black or grayish black in colour, with striations and a few cracks on the surface.   

Medicinal properties

The bark, flowers, fruits, and seeds of Mimusops elengi are used in Ayurvedic medicine due to its astringent, cooling and anthelmintic properties. Bark is utilized to prepare a decoction, which when gargled treats diseases of the oral cavity like gingivitis, loose teeth, bleeding gums, oral ulcers, dental caries etc. Tender leaves or unripe fruits of the plant can also be chewed to treat bleeding gums. A decoction or cold infusion of the flowers act as a tonic which helps to strengthen cardiac muscles. The plant also possesses antinociceptive, antibacterial, gastroprotective, anticariogenic, free radical scavenging, and antihyperglycemic properties.

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