INTRODUCTION:

Now days, focus on plant research has increased all over the world and a large body of evidence has collected to show immense potential of medicinal plants used in various traditional systems. Over the last few years, researchers have aimed at identifying and validating plant derived substances for the treatment of various diseases. Similarly it has been already proved that various parts of plants such as Leafs, fruits, seeds etc. provide health and nutrition promoting compounds in human diet. ‘Bael tree’ is native to India and a sacred plant to Hindus. It has got immense medicinal values. All the parts of the plant are useful and used in Ayurvedic medicines.

The Bael fruit is bitter in taste and used in Ayurvedic medicine to cure Vatha and Kaphay disturbances in the body. The fully ripened fruit is not much used in medicines. Half ripe fruits are mostly used in medicine. Aegle marmelos, a plant indigenous to India has been used by the inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent for over 5000 years. The leaves, bark, roots, fruits and seeds are used extensively in the Indian traditional system of medicine the Ayurveda and in various folk medicine to treat myriad ailments. Scientific studies have validated many of the ethnomedicinal uses and reports indicate that the fruit possesses broad range of therapeutic effects that includes free radical scavenging, antioxidant, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-diarrheal, gastroprotective, antiulcerative colitis, hepatoprotective, anti-diabetic, cardioprotective and radioprotective effects. These plants are used by Ayurveda, Siddha, Tibetan and all other system of medicines. Our ancient literature like Rigveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda, Charak Samhita and Sushrut Samhita also describes about their properties and uses for treatment of various diseases

VERNACULAR NAME OF BAEL:

Sanscrit-Sriphala, Assami-Bale, Vale, Hindi- Bael, Beel, Sriphal, Marathi-Bael, Gujrati-Bili, Bengali-Bela, Telgu-Maredu, Bilbpandu, Tamil- Bilbam, Panjabi- Bil, Sindhi- Katori, Oria-Bela, Pharasi-BehHindi, Bal, Latin- Aeglemarmelos Corr, English-Bael Frui, Bengaliquince, Kannada-Bilva, Kasmir-Bel, Malalayam-Koovalam¹

DESCRIPTION:

It is a moderate-size, slender, aromatic tree, 6.0 - 7.5m in height and 90 -120cm in grith, with a somewhat fluted bole of 3.0-4.5m and spines are straight, strong and axillary on branches. Bark is soft, corky, light grey, exfoliating in irregular flakes. Leaves are alternate, foliate occasionally digitately five foliate. Leaflets ovate or ovate, lanceolate, crenate, acuminate, lateral sessile, terminal long petioled. Flowers are large, greenish white, sweet scented in short axillary panicles. Fruits are globas, grey or yellowish, rind, woody, seeds numerous, oblong, compressed, embedded in sacs covered with thick orange, coloured sweet pulp. It flowers during April-May and fruits ripen during March-April^2-4.

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION:

Bael is native to India and usually available in the range of Himalaya to west Bengal. It grows around foothills of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttranchal, Jharkhand. The exotic range of bael is Bangladesh, Egypt, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Srilanka, Thailand⁵

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:

A number of chemical constituents from different parts of plant have been extracted like aegelin marmelosin, coumarin, ß-sitosterol and alkaloids. The plant is a rich source of amino acid, galactose and fatty acid. The compound isolated from plant show a variety of pharmacological activity^6-8.

PROPERTIES AND USES:

In Ayurvedic classics Bilva is used in Atisara (loose stool), Pravahika (dysentery), Shoth (generalised or localised swelling), Gulma (localised gas in abdominal region), Arsha (haemorrhoids), Grahani (irritable bowel syndrome), Pandu (anaemia), Shvasa (respiratory disorders), Hikka (hiccough), Kasa (cough), Parshwashula (pain in chest bilaterally), Hritshula (cardiac problems), Udararoga (disorders of GI tract), Halimaka (a type of jaundice), Vataroga (nervine disorder) etc^9-11

PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF AEGLE MARMELOS:

Diarrhea and Dysentery: A formulation containing Bael and bacopa monnieri is recommended as a safe drug for diarrheal form of IBS¹². In Nepal, the bark is mixed with flowers of Hypericum cordifolium Choisy and given to cure diarrhea¹³. The unripe fruit is most effective remedy for chronic diarrhea and dysentery without fever¹⁴. The powdered drug is recommended in sub-acute or chronic dysentery¹⁴. After the use of the fruit powder in these condition, the blood gradually disappear and the stools resume a more feculent and solid form. It is also a valuable remedy for chronic dysenteric condition characterized by alternate diarrhea and constipation. It has also been reported in the cases of amoebic dysentery. It is used in the treatment of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

Hypoglycemic/Anti diabetic activity: The juice of leaves along with black pepper is given in diabetes 9. Bilva leaf extract has been used in Ayurveda as a medicine for diabetes. It enhances the ability to utilize the external glucose load in the body by stimulation of glucose uptake similar to insulin. Bael extract significantly lowers blood urea and cholesterol in experimental diabetic animals¹⁵.

Anticancer Activity: Bilva inhibited in vitro proliferation of human tumor cell lines including the leukemic K562, T lymphoid Jurhat, beta lymphoid Raji, Erythro leukemic HEL. Extract of A. marmeolus is anti-proliferative but it produces effect on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line when it is in high concentration¹⁶.

Cardio protective effect: The leaf extract has preventing effects in isoprenaline induced myocardial infarction in rats. The activity of creatine kinase and lactate dehdogenase was increased in serum. Use of Bilva as cardiac depressant and palpitation has also been reported¹⁷.

Anti-spermatogenesis Activity:

The leaf of bilva resists the process of spermatogenesis and decreases sperm motility in rats. They are used in Bangladesh for fertility control¹⁸. All the major accessory sex organs shed weight post administration of the extract. There was a marked reduction in motility and density of the sperm derived from cauda epididymis of the treated animals¹⁹. A. marmelos reduced fertility of male rats by 100% at the 300-mg dose level. Serum testosterone levels also decreased significantly in all the experimental groups. The protein, glycogen and lipid peroxidation content of the testes was significantly reduced at the highest dose level; a highly significant increase in testicular cholesterol was observed along with a highly significant reduction in the silica acid contents of testes, epididymis and seminal vesicles. Blood tests did not point to distress in any of the vital organs. Withdrawal of the extract restored all the altered parameters including organ weights, fertility, testosterone levels and tissue biochemistry to control levels after 120 days.

Antimicrobial/Antifungal Activity:

It has been found active against various species such as Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidemidis, Salmonella typhimurium, E.coli, Bacillus subtilis. The essential oil isolated from the leaves of Bilva exhibits variable efficiency against different fungal isolates and causes concentration as well as time dependent inhibition of spore germination of all fungi tested, including most resistant fungus, Fusarium udum²⁰.

Antipyretic and Analgesic activity:

Bilva exhibits antipyretic, anti inflammatory and analgesic activities, as it has shown a significant inhibition of the carrageenan induced paw oedema, cotton pellet granuloma and paw itching in rats. It is also used as febrifuge in night and intermittent fever²².

Peptic ulcer:

The fruit taken in the form of beverage has also great healing properties on account of its mucilage, which forms a coating on the stomach mucosa and thus helps in the healing of ulcers²³.

Respiratory Infection:

In south India the juice of leaves are mixed with pepper to bring relief from wheezing cough and respiratory spasm. Its regular use builds up resistance against cold and cough^24-26.

CONCLUSION:

From above article it’s clear that bilwa is one of the auspicious plants with its valuable properties. In today’s world man went towards modern medicine to get instant relief from diseases, knowing the side effect of that medicine. The scientific research on Aegle marmelos suggests a huge biological potential of this plant. It is strongly believed that detailed information as presented in this review on the Ayurvedic, and various pharmacological properties of the extracts might provide detailed evidence for the use of this plant in different medicines. This article shows the antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antipyretic, antiinflammatory activity due to many phytochemicals present in it and is cost effective too. Although a systemic research and development work should be done for improvement of products for their better economic and salutary utilization.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The authors are very grateful to Director General of CCRAS, New Delhi, for providing encouragement and facilities for carrying out this work.

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Received on 26.02.2021 Modified on 13.03.2021

Res. J. Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics.2021; 13(2):51-54.

DOI: 10.52711/2321-5836.2021.00011