Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Indian Medicine Aegle-foila & Aegle-marmelos
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2004 Mar / Apr VOL VI NO 2.
'Aegle-foila / Aegle-marmelos
Dr. Prasad Rasal
In 1995, while reading one small book on Indian Drugs by Dr D P Rastogi, I came across this drug. I had lot of patients of similar GI complaint at that time. So, immediately I ordered both Aegle-folia & Aegle-marmelos and started using them on the basis of SYMPTOM SIMILARITY. I was convinced regarding the effects of such great medicines which are still not used frequently in our day-to-day Homoeopathic Practice. It is for this reason, I have decided to focus on this Medicine. I have collected different scientific evidences & homoeopathic research work on it even through Internet. In addition I have given my own experience, of using this Medicine for last 9 yr.
1 Aegle marmelos Correa
Family: Rutaceae
English names: Bengal quince, golden apple, stone apple
Indian names: maredu (Andhra Pradesh), bel (Bengal), bil
(Gujrat), bael, bil (Himachal Pradesh), bael (Hindi), bilpatra,
kumbala, malura (Karnatka), vilwam (Kerala), bilwa (Sanskrit),
kuvalum (Tamil Nadu)
Importance of plant in hindu religion:
Aegl- marmelos Correa is a sacred tree, dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Offering of bael leaves is a ritual of worshipping Lord Shiva. Hindus,
normally avoid lopping, much less felling it. The leaves and wood are used as
essential items of pooja samagri for worship of Lord Shiva and as fuel in havan.
Further, during summer bel gives a very cool and cozy shade. It also improves
the environment by utilizing carbon dioxide and exhaling oxygen.
Habitat
Bael is a handsome tree, native to northern India, but is found widely
throughout the Indian peninsula and in Ceylon, Burma, Thailand and Indo-China
(Bailey, 1963). It grows in wilds, throughout the low hills of Himachal Pradesh,
ascending up to 1,000 metres. The fruits of the wild trees are, however,
considerably smaller than those of the cultivated types grown in the plains.
Chemical composition of the fruit
The fruit pulp contains:
| Moisture Acidity Total Sugar Reducing Sugar Non reducing Sugar Tannins Pectin Vit C Protein Total Minerals Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium Iron |
: 60.7 : 0.46% : 8.36% : 6.21% : 2.04% : 0.21% : 2.52% : 920mg/100G of Pulp : 5.12% : 2.663% : 0.137% : 0.746% : 0.188% : 0.127% : 0.007% |
