Morphological information

A moderate sized deciduous tree, reaching up to a height of 12-15 m and a girth of 1.25 m. Bark dark brown, rough. Leaves large, simple, 17.5-60 cm X 10-30 cm, obovate, oblong. Flowers small, dull greenish, yellow, dioecious in terminal panicles; drupes 2.5 cm long obliquely ovoid, smooth and shining, black when ripe, situated on a fleshy orange coloured receptacle.

Flowering                      :  May-August

Fruiting                         : December-February

History                          :

Parts                            : Fruits, juice of the pericarp.

Status                           : Low risk.

Phytochemistry

Confirmation of structure of semecarpus biufkavanone B by chemical studies; a new biflavonoid jeedifalvanone-isolated from nut shells and characterized; galluflavanone isolated from nut shells and its structure determined; isolation and structure elucidation of sernecarpuflavanone from nut shells.

Agrocultivation

The tree is not found under cultivation but is common in forests often found occurring with Sal. The tree seeds at an early age. Seeds have poor viability and should be sown soon after collection.

 

Medicinal

The fruit is considered beneficial in ascites, tumors and warts, acute rheumatism, asthma, neuralgia, epilepsy and psoriasis. The juice of the pericarp and also of the tree trunk is a powerful counterirritant and vesicant. In combination with butter, milk and emollient oils, the juice is considered safe for internal administration. Biological tests have shown that extracts of the fruit are effective against human epidermoid carcinoma of the naso-pharynx in tissue culture. Experimental studies on the anticancer activity of the nut juice shows that oral administration to cancer patients particularly those suffering from oesophagus and mouth cancer, is beneficial in providing clinical improvement. Extracts obtained by boiling the nut in milk have proved useful in the treatment of sciatica.

 

Traditional                : The fruit juice helps in controlling tumor and also applied on rheumatism, asthma and taken during epilepsy.

 

 

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Reference