Botanical name – Terminalia belerica Linn.
Family - Combretaceae
Hindi name - Baheda
English name –Bellerica myrobalan
Sanskrit names - Bibheetaka (regular use eliminates fear of disease),
Karshaphala (the weight of the fruit is one tola), Aksha (the seeds are used in
a game of gambling), Kalidrum (gambling under bibheetaka tree definitely
results in a qurrel), Telpushpak, Bhootawas (animals take shelter in its
shade), Kalivruksha, Romaharsha, Kalind.
Botanical Description – bhibitaka tree grows upto a height of 16 to
32 mts. The bark is brownish in colour. The wood of the trunk is hard. The
leaves resemble those of banyan tree and are 8 to 16 cms in length. The
leaves may be long or circular. At the base of the leaves, where the lamina
ends, there are two small nodules Flowers are very small and yellow. There
are five small and five large stamens. Fruits are round in shape, brownish and
hairy Each fruit contains one seed.
The tree flowers in the summer and fruits in the winter.
The fruits ripen in the spring. The seed pulp is sweet to taste but it produces
mild intoxication
Varieties - Depending on the size of the fruits, it is classified into, having
small fruits and having large fruits.
Habitat - It is predominantly found in India, Burma and hilly areas.
Therapeutics Properties -
Guna (qualities) – Rooksha(dryness) ,laghu(lightness)
Rasa(Taste)- Kashaya(astringent)
Veerya- Ushna(hot potency)
Vipak - Madhura (taste conversion after digestion
astringent)
Dosha - bibheetaka is tridoshanashak, but mainly kaphanashak .
Uses-
External uses - Antiinflammatory, analgesic, haemostatic and gives black colour to the skin and hair Oil is a hair tonic.
Internal uses -
Nervous system - The pulp is intoxicant and analgesic (the regular synonym of bibheetaka means tandra- a state of mind between sleep and unconciousness. This may be due to the action of bibheetaka on majja dhatu.)
Digestive system - Being ushna, it is deepan, laxative and anthelmintic Half
ripe fruit is purgative fruit is astrigent. It is anti-emtic and reduces excessive
thirst.
Circulatory system - It is used as a blood coagulant due to its astringent property.
Respiratory system - It helps in asthma and cough by reducing the
inflammation of the bronchi.
Reproductive system - The pulp is an aphrodisiac.
Eyes - Dried bibheetaka is good for the eyes. Bibheetaka + honey is used for
local application in eye diseases.
Indications –
External uses - An application of the fruit or oil extracted from the fruit pulp is
useful in painful inflammatory conditions. The oil is used in skin diseases, leucorrhoea and in premature greying of hair. The rind of fruit is kept in the mouth for relieving dyspnoea, cough and hoarseness of voice, since it acts as mucolytic.
The powder is used for local application on the eyelids in conjunctivitis and also acts as haemostatic in fresh wounds.
Internal uses –
Nervous system - The pulp is used in vata disorders and insomnia.
Digestive system - Useful in indigestion, flatulence, excessive thirst, emesis, haemorrhoids, helmenthiasis. Half ripe fruit relieves constipation whereas dried fruit is useful in diarrhoea and dysentery.
Circulatory system - Useful in internal bleeding. More useful in haemoptysis.
Parts used - Fruit.
Dosage – 3 to 6 gm (powder)
Formulations - Bibheetaka taila, Triphala churna, Phalatrikadi kwath,
Lavangadi vati, Baibhestaki sura
References -
विभीतकं स्वादुपाकं कषायं कफपित्तनुत् ।
उष्णवीर्य हिमस्पर्श भेदनं कासनाशनम् ।
रूक्ष नेत्रहितं केश्यं कृमिवैस्वर्यनाशनम् ।
बिभीतमज्जा तृटछर्दिकफवातहरी लघुः ।।
कषाया मदकृच्चाथ धात्रीमज्जापि तदगुणा' (भा.प्र.)
‘रसासृमांसमेदोजान् दोषान् हन्ति विभीतकम् । स्वरभेदकफोत्कलेदपित्तरोगविनाशनम् ।। (च.सू. २७)
भेदनं लघु रूक्षोष्णं वैस्वर्यकृमिनाशनम् ।
चतुष्यं स्वादुपाक्याक्षं कषायं कफपित्तजित् ॥
वैभीतको मदकरः कफमारुतनाशनम् ।(सु.सू. ४६ )
(Reference - Ayurvedic pharmacology & Therapeutic uses of Medicinal plants)
