Wood Apple (Kaith)
Also known as
Latin : Feronia elephantum
English : Elephant Apple, wood Apple
Sanskrit : Kapithah
Hindi : Kaith
Marathi : Kavatha
Tamil : Vilankaymaram
Telugu : Velagapandu
Malayalam : Vilarmaram
Kannada : Bela
How it looks�
It is a moderately sized to large woody tree armed with strong straight spines at the axils and a dense crown of dark foliage. The leaves are gland- dotted and the flowers are
fragrant, small and dull red in. terminal panicles. The fruits are rounded, woody, rough and grey with oblong seeds embedded in the pulp.
"Feronia gum" is obtained from the trunk and branches after the rainy season which is transparent and reddish-brown" in colour.
What we use�Bark�aromatic, cooling
Leaves�aromatic, astringent, carminative, constipating, antiemetic, expectorant and cardio tonic
Unripe�sour, aromatic, astringent , constipating
Ripe�sweet, sour, refrigerant, aromatic, anodyne, constipating, aphrodisiac, cardiotonic, antiscorbutic, expectorant, stomachic
How we use it�
In
bronchitis and hiccough�Make a decoction of the leaves and drink an ounce twice a day with honey to expectorate phlegm, clear airways and reduce irritability.
In
heart ailments�Drink half an ounce of decoction made of the wood apple leaves with milk everyday to tone your heart.
In
diarrhoea and dysentery�Wood apple is constipating in nature and is used with great benefits in an upset stomach. Soak the fruit in water for an hour and mash the fruit in the
same water before drinking. This quickly arrests diarrhoea and restores digestion.
In
bleeding conditions�The ripe wood apple is a rich source of Vitamin 'C' and can be given as such in bleeding gums or any excessive bleeding condition. It can also be fried in ghee.
In
dysuria�Soak the ripe wood apple in water and drink the water after a couple of hours with some sugar. This relieves burning sensation and pain accompanying urination. This
preparation also quenches long standing thirsts.
In piles�Make an infusion of bael and wood apple and drink it everyday to relieve piles.
In
vomiting�Juice the tender leaves of wood apple, add pepper powder and honey and lick this preparation from time to time to suppress nausea and vomiting.
In
discolourations�Grind a few coriander seeds with the leaves of wood apple and apply to skin patches to lighten them.
In
tastelessness�Eat the pulp of a ripe wood apple with honey and saunph seeds to remove distaste and improve taste sensation.
In
white discharge�Juice the leaves of wood apple and bamboo or powder the dried leaves and take them with honey.
In
hiccough�Crushing tender leaves of wood apple in the palm and sniffing it up the nostrils arrests hiccough immediately.
