Botanical name : Limonia acidissima Linn.

Family : Rutaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS

Kapitha, Kapi

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES

Rasa : Madhura, Kashaya

Guna : Guru, Snigda

Virya : Seeta

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

English : Elephant apple, Wood apple, Curd fruit, Monkey fruit

Hindi : Katbel, Kaith

Malayalam : Vilarmaram, Vilavu

PLANT DESCRIPTION

Medium sized thorny deciduous tree grows up to 20 meters in height. Leaves compound imparipinnate, alternate, rachis narrowly winged. Leaflets 3-7, obovate, tip often notched. Leaves are dotted with fragrant filled glands. Flowers small, fragrant, reddish, bisexual, found in lateral and terminal panicles. Fruits globose, woody, rough, grey colored berries. Seed oblong compressed embedded in the pulp.

After rainy season, a reddish brown gum like substance called Feronia gum is obtained from the trunk, which is of medicinal value.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, vata, diarrhea, anorexia, vomiting, cough, bronchitis, hiccough, and cardiac debility. Unripe fruit is sour, and useful in diarrhea, and dysentery. Ripe fruit juice is a good health drink and it is a rich source of antioxidants.

Useful part : Bark, Leaves, Root, Fruits, Gum.