Black Plum: Best Herb for Diabetes and Liver Problems (Jaman, Syzygium Cumini)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Black plum is popularly known as the Fruit of God as it is believed that Lord Rama survived on Jamun fruit (black plum) for years during his exile from Ayodhya.

The genus name Syzygium is derived from the Greek word syzygos which means yoked together, referring to the paired leaves in the plant. Since ages Jambu has been a sacred tree to Hindus and Buddhists. It is customary to plant at least one black plum tree in Lord Rama's temples as it is believed to be his favorite. In Mahabharata, the body color of Sri Krishna is compared to this fruit.

Lord Megha is said to have descended on earth like a black plum tree. Puranas state that the cosmos is split into seven concentric island continents in the center of which lies the Jambudvipa. Its leaves are used in many auspicious ceremonies and decorative marriage pandals.

Charak has mentioned it as the best vatajanaka Dravya and included it in Phalasava. Sushrut has included it in phalvarga as grahi and excessive vata aggravating fruit. Vagabhatt has described it as guru, visthambhi, sangrahi, vatavardhak and akanthya Dravya. Its tender leaves are included in the group of panchpallava, which is used for gandhakarma.

The ripe fruit is used for making juice, jam, jellies, wines, squashes, etc. The seeds are used in herbal teas for diabetes. Besides the fruit, the plant is used as timber, fodder, fuel, making agricultural equipment, in tanning leather and making soaps, perfumes, etc. Leaves serve as food for silkworms in sericulture, young shoots are used for cleaning teeth.

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2. Common Names

• Family - Myrtaceae
• Hindi Name - Jamun, Jaman
• English Name - Jaman, Jambolan, Black plum
• Synonyms - Eugenia jambolana Lamk

3. Vernacular Names

• Bengali – Jaam, Kalajam
• Assamese – Jam
• Kannada – Merale, Jamneralae
• Gujarati – Jambu
• Marathi – Jambhool
• Oriya – Jamukoli
• Malayalam – Njaval
• Tamil – Naaval
• Telugu – Nesedu
• Urdu – Jamun
• Punjabi – Jammu

4. Synonyms

• Phalendra – Its fruit is considered the best among all fruits.
• Surbhipatra – Its leaves are aromatic.
• Nilaphala – Fully ripe fruit is bluish-purple.
• Meghamodini – The plant bears fruit in the rainy season.
• Mahaskandha – The tree has a big trunk.

5. Classical Categorization

• Charaka Samhita – Mutra-sangrahaniya
• Sushrut Samhita – Nyagrodhadi
• Ashtang Hridaya – Nyagrodhadi
• Dhanvantari Nighantu – Amraadi phalvarga
• Madanpal Nighantu – Phal varga
• Kaiyadev Nighantu – Oshadi varga
• Raj Nighantu – Amraadi varga
• Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Amraadi phalvarga

6. Distribution

The plant is native to India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. In India, it is commonly found in plains, forests and hilly regions up to 1,800m. It is planted in Bihar, Odisha, upper Gangetic plains, West Bengal, Konkan and in southern states along the riverbanks.

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7. Morphology

It is a fast-growing, large, or medium-sized evergreen tree reaching up to a height of 15 to 30m and can live for more than 100 years.

Bark – Light grey to ash colored, 0.5 to 2.5cm thick, external surface or less rough or rugged, internal surface rough, fibrous, and reddish-brown.

Leaves – Simple, opposite, variable in size 8-14 x 4-7cm, smooth, glabrous surface.

Flowers – Greenish-white in trichotomies panicle, sweet-scented, sessile.

Fruits – Ovoid or globose berries, pink initially and turning black purple when fully mature, smooth, fleshy, crowned with a truncate calyx cap.

Seed – Single seeded, oval or round, smooth, brownish-black, enclosed in a cream-colored, coriaceous covering. The plant is propagated by seeds.

8. Types

• Bhavaprakash – Two types: Raj jambu, Kshurdrajambu.
• Kaiyadev and dhanvantari – Three types: Mahajambu, Kshurdrajambu, Kakjambu.
• Raj Nighantu – Three Types: Mahajambu, Kakjambu and Bhumijambu.

9. Ayurvedic Properties

• Rasa (Taste): It has Kasaya, Madhura, and Amla (pungent, sour, sweet) taste.
• Virya (Potency): It is Sheeta in nature (cold).
• Vipaka (Post-digestive taste): It has a Katu (bitter) taste.
• Guna (Qualities) – Laghu, Ruksha

10. Chemical Constituent

The plant is rich in compounds like anthocyanins, glucoside, ellagic acid, kaempferol, and myricetin.

The seeds have jambosine (alkaloids) jamboline or antimelin (glycoside), flavonoids, protein, calcium etc.

The leaves have acylated flavonol glycoside, quercetin, myrcetin, esterase, galloyl carboxylase, and tannins. The stem bark is rich in betulinic acid, friedelin, eugenin, quercetin, myricetin, oleanolic acid.

The stem bark is rich in betulinic acid, friedelin, eugenin, quercetin, kaempferol and gallic acid.

The flowers are rich in kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin, isoquercetin, and oleanolic acid.

The fruits are rich in raffinose, glucose, fructose, citric acid, gallic acid, malic acid, malvidin, and minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, vitamins A, B, and C.

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11. Identity, Purity, and Strength

For Stem Bark

• Foreign Matter – Not more than 2%
• Total Ash – Not more than 11%
• Acid-insoluble ash – Not more than 1%
• Alcohol-soluble extractive – Not less than 9%
• Water-soluble extractive – Not less than 11%

For Seeds

• Foreign Matter – Not more than 1%
• Total Ash – Not more than 5%
• Acid-insoluble ash – Not more than 1%
• Alcohol-soluble extractive – Not less than 6%
• Water-soluble extractive – Not less than 15%

(Source: The Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India 1999)

12. Ayurvedic and Pharmacological Actions

Ayurvedic Actions

Ayurvedic classics described it as an astringent, causes flatulence, relish, appetizer, digestive, and urinary astringent, beneficial for the throat, scraping, anthelmintic, cooling effect, antiemetic, hepatic stimulant, tonic, cardiotonic and spermatopoetic.

• Doshakarma – Kapha-pitta hara.
• Dhatukarma – Rochan, hridya.
• Malakarma – Visthambhi.

Pharmacological Actions

Different parts of plant are reported to have antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antidiarrheal, antifertility, cardioprotective, gastroprotective, antiulcerogenic, radioprotective, and antileishmanial.

13. Health Benefits

Ayurvedic classics attribute its use to diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhage, diabetes, bleeding disorders, constipation, flatulence, throat infections, asthma, cough, burning sensation, vaginal diseases, excessive discharge per vagina, excessive fatigue, worm infestation, skin diseases, heart diseases, and soft chancre.

Traditional healers throughout the country have been using its seeds for generations as an effective therapy for controlling blood sugar. Tribal in Tamil Nadu uses seed extracts to treat cough, cold, fever, skin diseases, throat infections, and intestine and genitourinary ulcers. In Unani medicine, it is used as a liver tonic, blood purifier, and strengthening agent for teeth, and gums, and an antifungal lotion in ringworm infection of the head.

14. Therapeutic Uses

Diarrhea – Powder of seed kernel of Black plum, amra, bilwa, kapitha, ginger should be taken with liquid gruel in diarrhea.

Hemorrhage – Intake of cold infusion of Black plum, amra and arjuna is beneficial.

Sprue – Juice extracted from Jambutwak mixed with an equal quantity of ajadugdha is beneficial.

Loss of Appetite – Consumption of Jambuswarasa or jambu prepared in vinegar improves digestion.

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15. Official Part Used

Fruit, seed, bark, leaves.

16. General Doses

• Powder – 3 to 6g.
• Decoction – 50 to 100ml.
• Juice – 10 to 20ml.

17. Formulations

Pancha-pallav yoga, Pathyadyachurna, Amradikwath, Karanjadighrita, Jambavaditaila, Pushyanugchurna, Jambuphalasava.