Terminalia bellerica Roxb is found extensively
throughout the Indian subcontinent and extent from SriLanka, South- East Asia
to Bangladesh. Terminalia bellerica Roxb is known as Baheda or commonly known
as "Bibhitaki" in Indian and one of the important herbs of Ayurvedic
medicine.
It is a fruit that is used popularly in Indian herbal rasayana called
Triphala means the mixture of three fruit ingredients. Triphala is a mixture of
three fruits Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Bibhitaki (Terminalia belerica) and
Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) which are blended to powder.
Baheda is a fruit
that is used as traditional remedy in various parts of India for mind-altering
element; they used as the remedy by smoking dried kernels. Different parts of
Baheda plants are used in the folk system of medicines like Ayurveda, Unani,
Siddha and Chinese medicine. In Asia, the uses of remedial plants are
well-established and are well recorded.
Information
about Baheda Plant
Terminalia bellerica also known as
"Bibhitaki" is a large deciduous tree that grows to a high of 50 m
tall, a width of 3 m and looks like a rounded crown. It is customarily
buttressed trunk near the base, and its branchless are up to 20 m long.
The
barks are bluish or ashy-grey masked with a lot of fine longitudinal cracks,
and the inner part of bark looks yellowish.
The Leaves of Baheda
"Bibhitaki" are large, alternate, glabrous, broadly oval-shaped with
obovate and size about 4-24 cm x 2-11 cm. The basis of the leaf is circled to
be cuneate, rufous-sericeous but soon glabrescent, with 6-9 pairs of secondary
veins. The subordinate and tertiary venations are projecting from both sides
clustered near the ends of branchlets. The young leaves are copper-red but soon
become parrot green ultimately turns to dark green.
The flowers are separate
small about 3-15 cm long with greenish white, simple, alar points, calyx tube
thickly puberulent or omentula. The flowers develop along with new leaves and
hold a strong honey-like scent.
The fruits of Baheda are sub-globular to
broadly ellipsoid and are about 2-4 x 1.8-2.2 cm. They are densely glutinous or
pubescent, light-yellow, unclearly 5-angled and finely brown tomentosa.
Synonyms
English – Beleric Myrobalan
Assam - Bhomora, Bhomra, Bhaira
Gujarati - Bahedam, Baheda
Hindi - Bahera
Kannada - Shanti, Shantikayi, Tare, Tarekayi
Malayalam - Tanni, Tannikai
Marathi - Baheda
Oria - Baheda, Bhara
Sanskrit - Vibhita, Aksa, Aksaka, Bibhitaki
Tamil - Thanakkai, Tanri, tanrikkai, Tani
Telugu - Tannikkaya, Vibhitakami, Tani
Traditional
Uses Of Baheda
Baheda fruits are astringent, anthelmintic,
antipyretic and laxative in nature, so they are useful bronchitis, hepatitis,
dyspepsia, asthma, diarrhea, piles,
hoarseness of voice, eye diseases, menstrual disorder, scorpion-sting
and coughs it is also used as a hair stimulant.
Generally, decoctions made from
green fruit are used for cough. Fruit Pulps are useful in dropsy,
dysenteric-diarrhea, leprosy and piles. The kernels of the fruit are used as
narcotic. Unripe fruit is used as a laxative. The oils of baheda seed are used
in rheumatoid arthritis. The gums of the bark are used in purgative and
demulcent.
Chemical
Composition Of Baheda
Baheda plant has many chemical constitution
compositions that are believed to be responsible for the pharmacological activities
such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, bronchodilatory hepatoprotective,
antisalmonella, and antispasmodic activities. Hence this plant is significantly
used in the remedy and prevention of illnesses. Below is the chemical
composition of Baheda plant.
The
Baheda fruit
• Tannin
• B-Sitosterol
• Galic
Acid
• Chebulasic
Acid
• Mannitol
• Glucose
• Galactose
• Fructose
• Ramnose
The
bark of Baheda plant
• Glucoside
• Gallo-tannic
acid
• Colouring
matter
• Ellagic
acid
• Gallic
acid
• Lignans
• 7-hydroxy
3’4’ flavone
• Anolignan
B
• Tannins
• Ellagic
acid
• Ethyl
gallate
• Galloyl
glucose
• Chebulic
acid
• Phyllemblin
• B-
sitosterol mannitol
• Glucose
• Fructose
• Rhamnose
Baheda
In Ayurvedic Medicine
Baheda is also known as "Bibhitaki" and
in Sanskrit it is known as Vibheetaki it
is integrated by two words Bheeta means “fear”
and the other word Vibheeta means “lack of fear”. In other words it is
said that eating this fruit can take away the fear of disease.
The fruit Baheda
has pungent, bitter and astringent properties; it can be used to balance kapha
dosha. The fruit Baheda is one of the ingredients of Triphala, one of the most
popular Ayurvedic medicines. It is a soothing secure cleansing formula for the
colon; it provides a scraping action of the colon walls.
It is rich
antioxidants and vitamin C in it helps to balance's blood sugar levels. Due to
its laxative and astringent activities and presence of tannins make Baheda
unique for the laxative. Besides this, it also aids in providing comfort from
respiratory problems.
Ayurvedic
properties
• Rasa:
Kashaya
• Guna:
Laghu, Ruksha
• Virya:
Ushna (hot)
• Vipaka:
Madhura (sweet)
• Karma:
Cakshuya (eyes), Keshya, Kapha-Pitta har, Kasa har
Medicinal
Uses Of Bahera Plant
• Liver
protecting activity
• Hypotensive
effect
• Laxative
• Astringent
• Rasayana
• Expectorant
and bronchodilator
• Antimicrobial,
Anthelmintic, Anti-ulcer
• Tonic
for eye
Benefits
Of Baheda Churna
1.
Help To Get Rid Of A Headache: To relieve headache
pain Baheda churna can be very helpful, take Baheda and jawasa and make
decoction from it add 1 teaspoon of ghee to it. Give this decoction to a person
suffering from headache, three times a day. This decoction will help to cure
headache caused due to pitta and will also cure kapha fevers as well as
dizziness
2.
It Help To Treat Indigestion: The ordinary signs
of indigestion such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, growling stomach can be
cured with Baheda. Take pippali (long pepper), licorice root, and Baheda fruit
in equal quantity make it churna (powder). Now make a decoction, take about two
teaspoons of churna, boil it in 500 ml of water until it reduces to close to
300 ml and let it cool down. Take 100 ml of this decoction two times (morning and
evening) certainly you will find change.
3.
Treatment for Loss of Appetite: In short terms the
Loss of appetite is generally temporary and can be turned off. Loss of Appetite
is mainly related with psychosomatic causes like worry, anxiety, depression,
etc. Baheda churna can be helpful in dealing such a problem, take 3-6 gm churna
(powder) made from Baheda fruit after meals. It not only helps to enhance a
digestive power but also cure's loss of appetite and even helps to strengthen
the stomach.
Note:
If persons may have a long-time problem of Loss of appetite, they should
consult a doctor. There are various medical problems that can lead to a poor
appetite, such as bacterial infections, viral infections, chronic liver
disease, hypothyroidism, kidney failure, hepatitis, etc.
4.
Helps Soothe Sore Throat: A sore throat is a swollen
throat that produces pain when swallowing. For this ailment baheda churn can
best take a baheda so called Bibhitaki, pound on it using a stone, you will
find a single seed inside, remove it. Next take one of the broken shells and
suck it, it will taste as an astringent and bitter, but it works well for sore
throat and cough.
5.
Help You Treat Your Diarrhea:
Diarrhea is a gesture that your body is trying to rid itself of something toxic
or something unhealthy things in your system. The situation can well be
controlled by herbal remedy made from baheda plant. Take 2-5 gm of bark of baheda tree and 1-2
cloves, grind them well and add one teaspoon of honey into it. Consume this
remedy for three to four times a day sooner you will find loose motion is under
control.
6. Baheda Powder for Hair: People around the world have lived employing natural remedies
to nourish the scalp and hold hair thick and healthy. The common causes for
hair loss and hair thinning might due to many reasons. There
are many herbs that can be helpful in dealing with hair problems and herb Baheda
is one of them. Take an oil from baheda fruit kernel, apply on a scalp and
massage twice a week, it not only nutritious your hair but also strengthen
your hairs.
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