Botanical Name

Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.,

Family

Bromeliaceae.

Synonyms

Ananas acostae C. Commelijn, Ananas argentata J.C.Wendl. ex Schult. & Schult.f., Ananas aurata J.C.Wendl. ex Schult. & Schult.f., Ananas bracteatus Baker, Ananas coccineus Descourt., Ananas debilis Schult. & Schult.f., Ananas monstrosus (Carrière) L.B.Sm., Ananas  penangensis Baker, Ananassa ananas (L.) H.Karst., Bromelia ananas Willd., Bromelia comosa L., Distiacanthus communis (Lam.) Rojas Acosta.

Regional Name

English : Crowa, Pineapple, Hindi : Ananas, Sanskrit : Anamnasam, Ananna, Anannasa, Anarasam, Urdu : Anannas, Kannada : Anaanus, Anaasu, Ananaas gida, Ananaas hannu, Ananas gida, Ananasu-hannu, Ananus hannu, Malayalam : Ananas, Kaitaccakka, Kapa-tsjakka, Kappaccakka, Marathi : Ananas, Tamil : Anashap-pazham, Anashippazham, Annasi pazham, Annasippalam, Poonthazham pazham, Telugu :  Ananas poondu, Anasa-pandu, Anasapoondu, Bengali :  Anarasa.

Part Used 

Fruit.

Description

It is a terrestrial herb 1.0 -1.5 m high with a spread of 3 to 4 ft (.9-1.2 m), a very short, stout stem and a rosette of waxy, strap like leaves, long-pointed, 20 to 72 in (50-180cm) 1ong; usually needle tipped and generally bearing sharp, up curved spines on the margins. The leaves may be all green or variously striped with red, yellow or ivory down the middle or near the margins.

Phytoconstituents

The fruit and the stem contain an enzyme called bromelain main chemical constituents, which is proteolytic (it breaks down proteins). The fruit is also a source of vitamins A, B and C.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Madhura, Amla, Guna : Guru, Snigdha, Vipaka : Madhura, Virya : Sheeta, Karma : Vatapitta shamaka (reduces vitiated vata and pitta dosha).

Ayurvedic Applications

Pachana, Depana, Jwara, Sotha, Kasa, Antrasula, Prameha. Suryavarta.

Medicinal Uses

The fruit is used for dyspeptic symptoms, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, urolithiasis, arteriosclerosis, heart diseases, bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, sinusitis, cystic fibrosis. It is used for the treatment of anorexia, dysmenorrhea, renal calculi, indigestion, infections of the stomach and intestinal worms, general debility, fever, thirst, jaundice and constipation. Bromelain is also used for reducing swelling (inflammation), especially of the nose and sinuses.