Botanical Name

Tamarindus indica L.

Family

Fabaceae / Leguminosae.

Synonyms

Tamarindus occidentalis Gaertn., Tamarindus  officinalis  Hook.,  Tamarindus umbrosa  Salisb.

Regional Name

English : Tamarind Tree, Hindi : Imli, Sanskrit : Amlika, Tintidika, Assamese : Tamar, Teteli, Bengali : Tetula, Tentul, Ambli,Gujrati : Anvali, Kannada : Hunisemale, Malayalam : Puli, Amlam, Marathi : Chinch, Oriya : Koina, Omlika, Punjabi : Imli, Amli, Tamil : Puli, Aanvilam,Telugu : Chint, Chinta,Urdu : Imli.

Description

It is a moderate-sized to large evergreen tree up to 24 m in height and 7 m in girth, cultivated throughout India, or self-sown in waste places and in forest lands; also planted as avenue trees. Fruit pulp occurs as a reddish-brown, moist, sticky mass, in which yellowishbrown fibers are readily seen; odour, pleasant; taste, sweetish and acidic.

Part Used

Fruit, leaf.

Phytoconstituents

Imli contains vitamins and minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, iron carotene, riboflavin, vitamin C and niacin. It is also contains Inorganic acids, Sugars, Saponins and bitter principle - Tamarindinca.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa :Madhura, Amla, Kasaya,Guna : Guru, Ruksa, Sara, Virya :Usna, Vipaka :Amla, Karma :Kaphavatanut, Dipana, Bastisuddhikara, Bhedi, Vistambhi, Dipana, Hrdya.

Ayurvedic Applications

Udararoga, Agnimandya, Arocaka, Paktisula, Trsa, Klama, Srama, Bhranti, Karnasula, Nadivrana.

Medicinal Uses

It is rich in vitamin C, helps in preventing and relieving scurvy. It is used for treating Common Cold, Fevers, Inflammation of Joints, Sore Throat, cleanses urinary bladder, Dysentery, induces mobility, causes diarrhoea, purgation, relieves constipation, improves taste, relieves anorexia, Improves digestion strength, Burns, wound, also prevent oedema leaving the skin healthy and radiant.