Elaeocarpus sphaericus (GAERTN.) K.SCHUM.

Family : Elaeocarpaceae

Synonym(s) : Elaeocarpus ganitrus Roxb. ex G. Don, Ganitrus sphaericus Gaertn., Elaeocarpus angustifolius Blume

English Name : Utrasum Bead Tree

Description

It is a large tree up to 18 m high and generally buttressed at the base. The bark is fairly smooth and greyish-brown outside with light reticulate fissures and white bloches. Leaves are lanceolate, obscurely serrulate, nearly glabrous. The flowers are white and are borne in compact drooping racemes. The drupes are about 1.2-2.5 cm across, globose, bluish-purple and succulent when ripe. The stones are 5-celled, strongly tubercled and are marked with as many longitudinal furrows as there are cells in the stone.

Habitat

West Bengal, Madhya and Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Orissa and Maharashtra.

Parts Used : Fruit, leaf and bark

Herb Effects

Cardiostimulant, hypotensive, sedative, anticonvolusions, spasmolytic, choleretic and bronchodialatory (fruit); stimulates the central nervous system and hypoglycemic (stem bark).

Active Ingredients

Elaeocarpine, rudrakine and gallic and ellagic acids (leaf).

Medicinal Use

Its fruits are considered as sour, thermogenic, appetizer and sedative which are useful in coughs, neuralgia, bronchitis, cephalalgia, anorexia, manic conditions, stimulating the heart and brain conditions. Its fruit-stones are considered sweet, cooling emollient, cerebral sedative, expectorant, liver tonic and febrifuge and are used in epileptic fits, manic conditions, melancholia, mental disorders, convulsions, insomnia, cephalalgia, hepatopathy, hypertension, bronchitis and fever.

Reference