Bengal Quince: Best Herb for Bowel Ailment, IBS & Dysentery (Aegle Marmelos)

Table of Contents

“The trifoliate leaf of tree is symbolic of Tikal (Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh), three eyes of Lord Shiva, Trishakti (volition, action and knowledge), three lingas, and three syllables of Omkar.”

1. Introduction

Bael (Bengal Quince) is considered as one of the sacred trees of Hindus, earliest evidence of religious importance of Bael appears in Shri Shuktam of Rig Veda which revers this plant as the residence of Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity. Bengal quince trees can be usually seen near the Hindu temples and in home gardens of Hindus.

It is believed that Hindu deity Lord Shiva is fond of Bael tree, and its leaves and fruit still play a major role in his worship. It is also referred to as “Shivadruma” because its leaves are offered to Hindus gods, Shiv and Parvati. The word bilva is usually used as bilva-patra (leaf of bael).

In the traditional practice of Hindu and Buddhist religions by people of the newer culture of Nepal, the Bengal quince tree is part of a fertility ritual for girls, which is known as the “Bel Bibaaha.” Girls are “married” to the Bael fruit; as long as the fruit kept safe and never cracks, the girl can never become widowed, even of her human husband dies. This is seen to be protection against the social disdain suffered by widows in the newer community.

Apart from religious importance, the plant Bilva has a wide range of medicinal potential, all parts of this tree: roots, leaf, trunk, fruit and seeds, are used for curing human ailments. There is a through description of Bengal quince in Vedas, Samhitas, Nighantus and other classical literature of Ayurveda and religious scriptures. It is used to cure many different ailments like diarrhea, dysentery, piles, loss of appetite, cough, asthma, dyspepsia, mal-absorption, neurological diseases, edema, vomiting, and rheumatism.

 Aegle Marmelos is a large tree with a big stout trunk, unusual branches with long, straight outgrowth, aromatic leaves, and sweet-scented greenish-white flowers. The fruit is woody and smooth with numerous seeds which are densely covered with fibrous hair and embedded in a thick aromatic pulp. The flesh is eaten fresh or dried. Roots of Bengal quince is one of the components of Brihat panchmool and dashmool and its leaf is included under panchpallava.

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2. Common Names

• Family – Rutaceae
• Hindi Name – Bael, Bel, Sriphal
• English Name – Bengal quince, Apple wood, Bael tree

3. Vernacular Names

• Bengali – Bela, bilva
• Assamese – Bael, Vael
• Gujarati – Bill, Bilum
• Kannada - Bilva
• Malayalam – Koovalam
• Marathi – Bel, Baela
• Tamil – Vilvam
• Telugu – Maredu
• Oriya – Bela

4. Synonyms

• Bilva – It is useful in bowel ailment particularly in diarrhoea and dysentery.
• Gandhagarbha – Pulp of fruit has a peculiar smell.
• Gandhaparta – Leaves are aromatic.
• Karkata – Fruit is covered with hard rind.
• Maloora – It is useful in bowel ailment.
• Putimaruta – It has carminative action.
• Shalatu – Unripe fruits are of therapeutic use.
• Shandilya – It is wholesome and cures disease.
• Shivesta – It is offered to Lord Shiva as it is favourite to him.
• Vatasara – It has carminative action and relieves flatulence from abdomen.

5. Classical Categorization

• Charaka Samhita – Shothahara, Arshoghna
• Sushrut Samhita – Varunadi, Ambashtadi
• Ashtanga Hridaya – Varunadi, Ambashtadi
• Ashtanga Sangraha – Ambashtadi, Brihat
• Dhanvantari Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga
• Madanpal Nighantu – Abhayadi varga
• Kaiyadev Nighantu – Oshadi varga
• Raj Nighantu – Amradi varga, Dharanyadi varga
• Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Guduchyadi varga

6. Distribution

Aegle Marmelos is a subtropical plant and grows up to an altitude of 1,200m above sea level, it grows well in the dry forests on hilly and plain areas. It is widely distributed plant and found in India. Ceylon, China, Nepal, Sri-Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Vietnam. In India it is found in sub-Himalayan tracts from Jhelum eastwards to West Bengal, in central and south India. 

It is extensively planted near Hindu temples for its leaves and wood which is used for worship. It is found almost in all the states of India, it is also grown in Egyptian gardens in Surinam and Trinidad.

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7. Morphology

It is a slow-growing, medium-sized tree, 12 to 15m tall. The stem is short, thick, soft, flaking bark, and spreading sometimes spiny branches, the lower ones drooping. There are sharp, axial one-inch-long spines on this tree.

Leaves – Leaves are composed of three to five leaflets in it. The leaflets are oval or lancet shaped, 4 to 10 cm long, 2 to 5 cm wide. The lateral leaflets are without petiole is 1 to 2.5 inch long. Mature leaves emit a peculiar fragrance when bruised.

Flowers – Found in cluster of four to seven along the young branches, with four recurved, fleshy petals. The flowers are greenish white in color with a peculiar fragrant.

Fruits – Spherical or oval with a diameter of 2 to 6 inches. Shell is thin, hard and woody in nature. It is greenish when unripe and it turns into yellowish color after ripening. The pulp of the fruit has 8 to 15 segments. The pulp is yellow, soft, pasty, sweet, resinous and fragrant.

Seeds – The small seeds are embedded in the pulp, it is hard, flattened-oblong, bearing woolly hairs, and each enclosed in a sack of adhesive, transparent mucilage that solidifies on drying.

8. Ayurvedic Properties

• Rasa (Taste): It has Tikta, Kasaya (bitter, astringent) taste.
• Virya (Potency): It is Ushna in nature (hot).
• Vipaka (Post-digestive taste): It is Katu (pungent) taste.
• Guna (Qualities) – Laghu, Ruksha

9. Chemical Constituent

Aegle Marmelos fruit shows that it consists of 61.5 % of moisture, 1.8% of protein, 0.3% Fat, 1.7% minerals, 2.9% fiber, and 31.8% carbohydrates per 100-gram serving. The mineral and vitamin content includes calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C. Its calorific value is 137.

The leaves contain skimmianine, sterol, and aegelin. They are dark green, and they are alternate, single, or compound with one or occasionally two pairs of shortly stalked opposite leaflets.

The pale colour of the fruit is because of the presence of carotenoids, there is a small amount of ascorbic acid, sitosterol, crude fibres, tannins, and carotenoids, and crude proteins are also present. The roots contain psoralen, xanthotoxin, and compounds like praealtin D, betulunic acid and montanin. Bael tree also possesses many bioactive compounds in its various parts.

10. Identity, Purity, and Strength

• Total Ash – Not more than 4%
• Acid-insoluble ash – Not more than 1%
• Alcohol-soluble extractive – Not less than 6%
• Water-soluble extractive – Not less than 50%

(Source: The Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India 1989)

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11. Ayurvedic and Pharmacological Actions

Ayurvedic Action

The Ayurvedic actions of different parts of Bengal quince are ass below:

Tender Fruit (apakva phala) – Astringent, appetizer, digestive, cure indigestion, relish, cardiotonic, pacify vatakapha.

Mature Fruit (pakva fruit) – Difficult to digest, foul smell, burning/gastric irritation, stasis of food, reduce digestive firs, aphrodisiac, astringent, spermatopoetic.

Pulp of immature fruit (apakwa phalamajja) – Astringent, cure indigestion.

Leaves (patra) – Aamanashana, grahi, rochana, hridya, vatahara.

Stem (kanda) – Aamanashana, hridya, ruchya, Deepana.

Root (moola) – Diuretics.

• Doshakarma – Vatakaphahara
• Dhatukarma – Balya
• Malakarma - Grahi

Pharmacological Action

The plant has antidiarrheal, antiulcer, antioxidants, antimalarial, antidiabetic, antifungal, antiviral, radioprotective, hepatoprotective and wound healing properties.

12. Health Benefits

All parts of the plant are used to cure many different diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, piles, sprue, loss of appetite, abdominal lump, cough, asthma, and pain in lateral side of abdomen.

• Tender Fruit (apakva phala) – Colic, IBS, diarrhea.
• Pulp of immature fruit (apakwa phalamajja) – Colic, IBS.
• Root (moola) – Vomiting, dysuria, asthma, cough, hic-cough, debility, fever, colic and internal hemorrhoea.
• Leaves (patra) – Cough.
• Flower (Pushpa) – Diarrhea, thrist, vomiting.

13. Therapeutic Uses

The Aegle Maarmelos is one of the most useful medicinal plants. Its medicinal properties have been described in the ancient medical treatise in Sanskrit, Charaka Samhita. All parts of the tree, stem, root, bark, leaves, and fruit at all stages of maturity have been used as medicine since ancient times.

The fruit’s medical value is high when it begins to ripen, it is aromatic, cooling, and a laxative. It arrests secretion or bleeding; the unripe or half-ripe fruit is good for digestion. It is useful in preventing or curing scurvy. It also strengthens the stomach and promotes its action.

Constipation - Ripe Aegle Maarmelos fruit is regarded as one of the best laxatives. It cleans and tones up the intestine, and with regular use for 2-3 months, it helps to throw out even the old accumulated fecal matter.

For the best result, it should be taken in the form of sherbet prepared from the pulp of the ripe fruit. After breaking the shell, the seeds are removed, content spooned out and sieved. Milk and sugar are added to make it more palatable. The pulp of the ripe fruit can also be taken without adding of milk or sugar. About 70 grams of the fruit suffice for an adult.

Peptic Ulcers - Aegle Maarmelos leaves are an effective remedy for peptic and ulcers, they are rich in tannin which reduces inflammation and helps in the healing of ulcers. Because of its mucilage content Bael fruit taken in the form of a beverage, helps to form a coating on the stomach mucosa which helps heal ulcers.

An infusion of Bael leaves is an effective remedy for peptic ulcer. The leaves soaked overnight in water, strained and taken in the morning. Both pain and discomfort are relieved in a few weeks.

Ear Problem - The root of the tree is used as a home remedy for curing ear problems, it has astringent properties which help to cure the infection, chronic inflammation, and discharge. A stiff piece of the root dipped in the neem oil and lighted. The oil that drips from the burning end is an effective medicine for ear problem.

Respiratory Problem - A medicated bael leaves oil gives relief from recurrent colds and respiratory affections. Juice of bael leaves mixed with an equal quantity of gingelly or sesame oil and heated thoroughly. A few seeds of black pepper and half tsp of black cumin are added to the heated oil which is then cooled and stored for use.

A teaspoon of this oil massaged into the scalp before a head bath regularly builds resistance to cold and cough.

Inflammation – A hot poultice of the leaves is applied.

Rheumatic Pain – Leaf paste of Bengal quince is applied for rheumatic pain.

Diarrhea:

• Tender fruit of Bael is taken with liquid jaggery, honey and oil to cure diarrhea.
• Take tender fruit of Bael with Pippali, honey or buttermilk with Chitrak.
• Fruit pulp of Bael and Madhuka is mixed with sugar and honey and is taken with rice water which checks diarrhea causes by pitta and rakta.
• Intake of Bael and jaggery checks diarrhea, removes pain due to ama and constipation and alleviate bowel diseases.
• Decoction of Bilva and Amra seed mixed with honey and sugar checks vomiting and diarrhea.

Hemorrhoids - Powder of equal parts of fruit pulp of bael, ginger, ajwain and Chitrak root is given in a dose of 3g with buttermilk twice a day.

Dysentery – Khada prepared with tender fruit of bael, equal quantity of sesame paste, curd and ghee.

Jaundice – Intake of Bael leaves juice mixed with Trikatu alleviates jaundice.

Abdominal Disease – Oil mixed with alkali of bael should be given in pain of sides caused due to vata, stiffness, and cardiac distress.

Edema – Juice of bael leaves mixed with maricha is useful in edema caused by the following doshas: constipation, piles, and jaundice.

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14. Official Part Used

Root, bark, fruit pulp, leaves and seeds.

15. Doses

• Fruit Pulp – 3 to 6gm
• Juice – 10 to 20ml.

16. Formulations

Dashmoolarishta, Amritarishta, Brihat Gangadhara churna, Bilvapanchaka kvatha, Bilvadi churna, Bilvadi ghrita, Bilva taila, Bilvadi leha, Mahanarayana taila, Vatsakadi kwat.

17. Precaution

The ripe fruit should not be taken continuously at a stretch, when used without a break it produces atony of the intestine or lack of normal elasticity and consequent flatulence in the abdomen. It should also not be taken in excess at one time, excessive intake may produce a sensation of heaviness in the stomach.

The sherbet made of bael fruit should be viscous so that it can be thoroughly chewed, if taken hurriedly.

18. Bengal Quince Fruit Shake

Ingredients

• Stone Apple Fruit pulp without seed – 100 gm
• Milk – 1 ½ cup
• Jaggery Powder or Brown Sugar – 1 tbsp.
• Green Cardamom Powder – ¼ tsp
• Cinnamon Powder - a small pinch
• Ice cubes – 3-4

Method

• Take a mixer jar and add all the ingredients except ice cubes.
• Blend it and add the ice cubes.
• Put the mixture in a glass and serve cold.

19. Aegle Marmelos Fruit Juice

Ingredients

• Stone Apple Fruit pulp without seed – 100 gm
• Jaggery Powder or Brown Sugar – 1 tbsp.
• Roasted Cumin Powder – ½ tsp
• Salt – ¼ tsp or as per taste
• Water – 1 glass
• Ice Cubes – 2-3

Method

• Take a mixer jar and add all the ingredients except ice cubes and cumin powder.
• Blend it and add the ice cubes and cumin powder.
• Put the mixture in a glass and serve cold.