BAKULA - Mimusops elengi
Mimusops elengi Linn.
Family Sapotaceae.
Habitat Cultivated in North India,
Western Peninsula and South India.
English Spanish-Cherry, West
Indian Medlar, Bullet Wood.
Ayurvedic Bakula, Keshara,
Simhakeshara, Sthiraa, Sthirapushpa,
Vishaarada, Dhanvi,
Madhupushpa, Madhugandha,
Chirpushpa, Maulsiri.
Unani Molsari.
Siddha Magilam.
Action Pulp of ripe fruit—astringent;
used in chronic dysentery.
Flowers, fruit and bark—astringent.
Bark—given for promoting fertility
in women. Seeds—purgative. The
leaves contain sterols, reducing sugars
and tannins; roots, a steroidal
saponin; stem bark, spinasterol
and taraxerol; flowers, D-mannitol,
beta-sitosterol and beta-sitosterol-
D-glycoside; seeds, pentacyclic
triterpene acids, mimusopic and
mimusopsic acids.
Essential oil obtained fromthe plant
is reported to be mycotoxic. Antimicrobial
activity of the root extract has
been reported. Saponins isolated from
the seeds have been found to effect
the cardiovascular activity in dogs and
haemolytic activity in human beings.
Spasmolytic activity in isolated ileum
of guinea-pigs has also been recorded.
Saponins from seeds also showed
spermicidal activity.
Dosage Seed, bark—12–24 g paste;
