Botanical Name
Terminalia belerica (Gaertn.) Roxb.
Family
Combretaceae
Synonyms
Terminalia bellirica var. laurinoides (Teijsm. &Binn.) C.B. Clarke, Myrobalanus laurinoides (Teijsm. &Binn.) Kuntze.
Regional Name
English :Beleric Myrobalan, Hindi :Bahera, Sanskrit :Vibhita, Aksa, Aksaka, Urdu :Bahera, Punjabi :Bahera, Assamese :Bhomora, Bhomra, Bhaira, Bengali :Bayada, Baheda, Gujrati: Bahedan, Kannada : Tare kai, Shanti Kayi, Kashmiri :Babelo, Balali, Malayalam : Tannikka, Marathi :Baheda, Oriya :Baheda, Tamil :Thanrikkai, Telugu :Thanikkaya.
Part Used
Fruit
Description
Baheda is a large deciduous tree up to 30 meters height, commonly found in plains and lower hills in Southeast Asia, In India, it is found in abundance in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra. The tree takes a height of. Baheda consists of pericarp of dried fruits ripen towards November. Fruit is nearly spherical to ovoid, 2.5-4.0 cm in diameter, fresh ripe fruits slightly silvery or with whitish shiny pubescent surface, mature fruits grey or grayish brown with lightly wrinkled appearance, rind of fruit shows variation in thickness from 3-5 mm, taste, astringent.
Phytoconstituents
The main chemical constituents are Gallic acid, tannic acid and glycosides. t contains sitosterol, gallic acid, ellagic acid, chebulagic acid, galloyl glucose, fatty acid, protein, oxalic acid, tannin, palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, galactose, glucose and ethyl gallate.
Ayurvedic Properties
Rasa : Kasaya, Guna : Laghu, Ruksa, Vipaka : Madhura, Virya : Usna, Karma : Caksusya, Kesya, Kaphapittajit, Bhedaka, Krminasana, Kasahara.
Ayurvedic Applications
Chardi, Kasa, Krmiroga, Vibandha, Svarabheda, Netraroga.
Medicinal Uses
It is used in skin diseases, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, flatulence, thirst, piles , worms, hoarseness of voice, premature graying of hair, boost hair growth, throat, wounds to arrest the bleeding and burning sensation. It is also applied on eyelids, in case of conjunctivitis, eye ailments, such as myopia, corneal opacity, pterigium, immature cataract, chronic and acute infective conditions. Baheda plant alleviates cough, cold, asthma, relieves blocked phlegm, controls bleeding in the sputum and eases bronchospasms. It prevents ageing, imparts longevity, boosts immunity, improves mental faculties and enhances the body resistance against diseases. It helps in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. It is a rejuvenative and laxative.