|
Botanical Name:
Mangifera indica
Sanskrit name: Amra, Chuta
English Name: Mango
Family:
Anacardiaceae
Description of
Mangifera indica:
Mango trees (Mangifera indica) reach 35-40 m in height, with a crown
radius of 10 m. The
leaves
are
evergreen,
alternate, simple, 15-35 cm long and 6-16 cm broad; when the leaves are
young they are orange-pink, rapidly changing to a dark glossy red, then
dark green as they mature. The
flowers
are produced in terminal
panicles
10-40 cm long; each flower is small and white with five petals 5-10 mm
long, with a mild sweet odor suggestive of
lily of the
valley. The fruit takes from three to six months to ripen.
|
|
|
The ripe
fruit is variable in size and color, and may be yellow, orange, red or
green when ripe, depending on the cultivar. When ripe, the unpeeled
fruit gives off a distinctive
resinous
sweet smell. In its center is a single flat oblong seed that can be
fibrous
or hairy on the surface, depending on the cultivar. Inside the seed coat
1-2 mm thick is a thin lining covering a single
embryo,
4-7 cm long, 3-4 cm wide, and 1 cm thick.
Principle constituent:
The unripe, fully
developed mangoes of pickling varieties contain citric, malic, oxalic,
succinic and two unidentified acids. The ripe fruits constitute a rich
source of vitamin A; some varieties contain fairly good amounts of
vitamin C also. ß-Carotene and xanthophyll are the principal pigments in
ripe mango. The leaves contain the glucoside mangiferine. The bark of
the mango tree contains tannin (16-20%). Mangiferine has been isolated
from the bark.
Medicinal Uses:
The bark is astringent;
it is used in diphtheria and rheumatism; it is believed to possess a
tonic action on the mucous membrane. It is astringent, anthelmintic,
useful in hemoptysis, hemorrhage, nasal catarrh, diarrhea, ulcers,
diphtheria, rheumatism and for lumbrici. The leaves are given in the
treatment of burns, scalds and diabetes. Mangiferin from the leaves has
been reported to possess antiinflammatory, diuretic, chloretic and
cardiotonic activities and displays a high antibacterial activity
against gram positive bacteria. It has been recommended as a drug in
preventing dental plaques. Mangiferin shows antiviral effect against
type I herpes simplex virus (HSV-I).
Herbal Extract packing:
|
