BILVA - Bael, Shivadruma - Aegle marmelos (Rutaceae)
This fruit is a fantastic remedy for the digestive system.
Sacred to Lord Shiva it destroys weakness in the intestines.
The dried immature part is used for diarrhoea while the mature, fresh fruit is more laxative.
Parts Used : Leaves, fruits
Energetics :
- Rasa (taste) : Astringent, bitter
- Virya (action) : Heating
- Vipaka (post-digestive effect) : Pungent
- Guna (quality) : Dry, light (immature)
Doshas : VK-, P+ in excess
Dhatus (Tissues) : Plasma, blood
Srotas (channels) :Digestive, eliminatory
Action :
Astringent, carminative, anthelmintic
Increases the digestive fire, Digests toxins, Alleviator of diarrhoea, Binds stool, Removes swellings, Alleviates colic, Alleviates vata and kapha.
Indications :
Chronic dysentery, diarrhoea, mild laxative, asthma, fever, jaundice, constipation, indigestion, discomfort
GIT : Immature dried Bilva is a specific herb for chronic IBS, diarrhoea, dysentery and malabsorption that manifest as long-term imbalances with ?mucusy? and watery stools. Its astringency checks the excessive downwards movement of vata. It also dries the excess mucus and ama that comes with high kapha aggravations. It is a good choice where there may be ulceration and inflammation of the mucus membranes in the intestines; ulcers, colitis, Crohn?s disease. The fresh fruit is more of a laxative used in summer to cool the system. It is very heavy to digest and should only be taken in small amounts.
Combinations :
- Bibhitaki, Amalaki, Haritaki to repair the large intestine and encourage regular peristalsis.
- Manjishta, low dose of Rhubarb root if there is bleeding from the GIT.
Contraindications :
Dried fruit for constipation
fresh fruit for congestion
ama, weak digestion.
Dosage :
1 ? 12g per day dried fruit powder
1/2 teaspoon thrice daily after meals mixed with some honey.
* The immature fruit pulp is best used for diarrhoea and IBS. It can be made into a jam or awelaha and used as a nutritive healer.
* The fruit juice from the ripe fruit is commonly available in India at fruit-juice stalls as a summer cooling drink.
* It is commonly found near Shiva temples as the leaves are used in worship (puja); the juice is said to cool the hot poison that Shiva drank after it emerged from the churning of the milky ocean. It is also a ?trifoliate? or trishikha, a leaf having three sections; this also relates to the sacred trident (trishul) that Shiva carried on his itinerant wanderings. Hence it is also known as shivadruma or Shiva?s tree.
* The root is one of the ingredients in the famous Dashmoola formula. It sedates vata and calms the nerves. It is also used in inflammatory conditions of the uterus.
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