What is Bamboo Silica? Nutritional Value, Health Benefits, Uses & Side Effects of Tabasheer

Table of Content

1. Introduction

The Tabasheer botanical name is Bambusa Arundinaceae, some other common names are bamboo, bambusa, venu, qusab, tabashir, spiny bamboo, vanshlochan and thorny bamboo. Tabasheer is believed to have originated in Asia, the tree grows wild throughout most parts of India. Especially in the hilly forests of western and southern India, it is cultivated in the lower Himalayas and the valleys of the Ganga and Indus.

The Bamboo is a perennial tree growing up to a height of 12 meters with its trunk 8 to 15 cm in diameter. Between July and October, every year new shoots sprout at the base of the tree, the tree is always found in clusters.

The superior quality of Tabasheer is light in weight and white in color called Tabasheer e kabood or Tabasheer e Sadaf.

The stem of the tabasheer is round, smooth, and hollow, the leaves are simple, shiny, thin, stiff, smooth, and dark green. Flowers are found in bunch and seeds resemble the corn of wheat in shape.

Bamboo leaves are a rich source of hydrocyanic and benzoic acids, and tender bamboo shoots contain various enzymes such as nuclease, deamidase, proteolytic enzyme, amylase, amygdalin splitting, and silicon splitting enzymes. Besides, the juice of the pressed bamboo shoots possesses protease activity which helps the digestion of protein.

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2. Common Names

• Family - Poaceae
• Hindi Name - Bans
• English Name - Bamboo
• Synonyms - Twaksaar, Shatparva, Venu, Yavaphal, Maskar, Tejan, Shubha.

3. Vernacular Names

• Arabic - Tabashira.
• Unani - Tabasheer, Tabaashir, tabaschir.
• Telugu - Veduruppu, Mulkas Veduru, Mullu Veduru.
• Malayalam - Moleuppa.
• Sanskrit - Vanshlochana, Venulavanam.
• Bengali - Bans-Kapur, Baans, Baansh.

4. Morphology

It is a straight, unbranched tall tree of 15 to 35m height, with joint stem.

• Stem - Bright green to brown in color, jointed, hollow from inside.
• Leaves - Leaf sheatha with a short bristly auricle, ligule short.
• Inflorescence - Spikelet glabrous, yellow or yellowish green in a long panicle.
• Floral glumes - Three to seven in numbers.
• Fruit - Oblong grains, beaked by the style base, grooved on one side.

5. Nutritional Value 

Tabasheer contains moisture 88.8 percent, protein 3.9 percent, Fat 0.5 percent, minerals 11 percent, and carbohydrates 5.7 percent, per 100 grams of edible portion. Calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C are among its vitamins and minerals. Its calorific value is 43.

6. Chemical Composition

Bamboo Silica a good combination of silicon and oxygen, it comprises more silicon dioxide than other plant sources. It is mainly used for healthy bones, skin, hair, and nails and also known as Beauty Mineral.

7. Ayurvedic Properties of Tabasheer

• Rasa (Taste): It has Madhura, Kashaya (sweet, astringent) taste.
• Virya (Potency): It is sheeta (cool) in nature.
• Vipaka (Post-digestive taste): It is Madhura (sweet) taste.
• Guna (Qualities) - Laghu, Ruksha

8. Ayurvedic and Pharmacological Actions

Ayurvedic Actions

Its Ayurvedic actions are laxative, purification of blood, antitussive, skin disease, asthma, cough, disease related to blood, inflammation, dysuria and diabetes.

Pharmacological Action

Its Pharmacological actions are anti-inflammatory, carminative, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, aphrodisiac, astringent, desiccant, demulcent, expectorant, liver and cardiotonic, refrigerant, diuretic, and rejuvenating.

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9. Health Benefits & Therapeutic Uses

The leaves of the bamboo tree are stimulant, aromatic, and tonic without any prominent taste. They are useful in counteracting spasmodic disorders and arresting secretion or bleeding. They are also effective aphrodisiacs.

Tabasheer contains anti-inflammatory, carminative, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, aphrodisiac, astringent, desiccant, demulcent, expectorant, liver and cardiotonic, refrigerant, diuretic, and rejuvenating properties.

Intestinal Worms

Benefits – The leaves of the tabasheer or bamboo tree are beneficial and effective to kill intestinal worms, especially threadworms.

Uses – Take tender leaves of the bamboo tree and make a decoction of that, take this twice a day after meal.

Menstrual Disorders

Benefits – The leaves of the tabasheer act as an emmenagogue, stimulate mensuration, and promote and regulates the menstrual periods.

Uses - Take tender leaves or nodes of the stem of the bamboo tree and make a decoction of that, take this twice a day for one month.

Respiratory Disorders

Benefits – The tender shoots are useful and beneficial in treating respiratory disorders, it helps to expel phlegm and clear the tract.

Uses – Make a decoction of the tender shoots should be taken with a tbsp of honey once or twice daily for 5 days.

Stomach Disorders

Benefits – The leaves of the bamboo tree are beneficial in treating stomach troubles, they strengthen the stomach and promote its action.

Uses – The young shoots of the tree serve as an appetizer, in many parts of India, the leaves of the tree are used in the form of decoction to treat diarrhea.

Wounds and Ulcers

Benefits – A poultice of the tender shoots is used for cleaning wounds and maggot-infested sores. Decoction or juice of the fresh bamboo leaves is applied as medicine in such ulcers.

Uses – Juice of 35 grams of fresh leaves taken twice daily either alone or mixed with any other juice. The decoction extracted from 70 grams of leaves by itself serves the same purpose.

Take 120ml of the juice extracted from very tender shoots, take twice daily.

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Other Benefits

Women Health – The decoction of tender bamboo shoots, mixed with palm jaggery is given once or twice a day for a week to cause abortion during the first month of pregnancy.

The same preparation can be used in the last month of pregnancy to induce labor. Its use after childbirth eases the process of expulsion of the placenta and prevents excessive loss of blood.

Boosts Bone Health: The silica content in tabasheer contributes to improved bone density and strength. Regular consumption of bamboo and tabasheer may help prevent conditions like osteoporosis and enhance overall bone health.

10. Official Part Used

Root, Fruit, Leaves Vanshlochan (exudate)

11. Dose

• Vanshlochana - 1 to 3g
• Decoction - 50 to 100 ml

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12. Side Effects 

• Consult the doctor if you are breastfeeding.
• Do not take Bamboo without a doctor’s prescription if you are pregnant.
• Do not take Bamboo if you are suffering from any kind of critical disease.
• If you are on diabetes or hypertension medication. Consult first the doctor before consuming Bamboo
• If you are above 65 years old and want to start Bamboo, consult the doctor, and talk about the health conditions.
• If you are on any supplements, vitamins, or herbal medication, consult the doctor before taking Bamboo.
• Stop taking Bamboo at least two weeks before a scheduled surgery.
• Bamboo may interact with other medicines like blood sugar or blood pressure allopathy medicines.