Latest Research on Bilwa-Anti spermatogenesis and Cardioprotective .

Latest Research  on Bilwa- Anti spermatogenesis and cardioprotective

                      

                                                                   

The Bilva tree in the Shiva Purana

Lakshmyaascha stana utpannam Mahaadeva sadaa priyam,
Bilva vriksham prayachchhaami eka bilvam Shivaarpanam.
Darshanam bilva vrikshasya sparshanam paapanaashanam,
Aghorapaapasamhaaram eka bilvam shivarpanam.

According to the Shiva Purana (7 AD) the Bilva tree is the manifest form of Lord Shiva himself, while all the great tirthas (pilgrimage places) are said to reside at its base. One who worships the shivalingam while sitting under the Bilva, claims this great epic, attains the state of Shiva.

In the traditional culture of Nepal, the bael tree is part of a fertility ritual for girls known as the Bel baha. Girls are "married" to the bael fruit and as long as the fruit is kept safe and never cracks the girl can never become widowed, even if her human husband dies. This was seen to be protection against the social disdain suffered by widow.

In Bangladesh,   It is used for fertility control

Synonyms(and their meaning)

Shandilya- Means that relieves from all pains

Shailoosha- Means that have beautiful fruits or grow on mountains

Shriphala- Having attractive fruits

Maloora- Means that enhances the looks of the body

Gandhgarbha- Having a pleasant smell with in it

Kantaki- Means has sharp thorns over it

Sadaphala- Means it has fruits in all the seasons

Granthila- Having tuberous structure over its surfa

PROPERTIES AND ACTION

           Rasa  :    Katu, Tikta, Kashya

           Guna :   Laghu, Ruksha

          Virya  :  Ushna

          Vipaka : Katu

          Karma :  Dipana, Pacana, Grahi, Vata Kaphahara, Balya

         Therapeutic Uses  and Latest Research On Bilwa

                                                      

Diarrhoea and Dysentery

The unripe fruit is most effective remedy for chronic diarrhea and dysentery without fever. The powdered drug is recommended in sub acute or chronic dysentery. After the use of the fruit powder in these condition, the blood gradually disappear and the stools resume a more feculent and solid form. It is also a valuable remedy for chronic dysenteric condition characterized by alternate diarrhea and constipation. Its also been reported in the cases of amoebic dysentery. It is used in the treatment of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

As mentioned in Dhanvantri nigantu,(Chp 1,shlok104,105) in 10^th century that the unripe fruit is sangrahi ,snighda,agnidipak,katu,tikt, kshaya,usna veerya,tikshna and vata kapha nashak.

Hypoglycemic/Anti diabetic activity

Bilva leaf extract has been used in Ayurveda as a medicine for diabetes. It enhances the ability to  utilize the external glucose load in the body by stimulation of glucose uptake similar to insulin. Bael extract significantly lowers blood urea and cholesterol  in experimental diabetic animals.

Anticancer Activity

Bilva inhibited in vitro proliferation of human tumour cell lines including the lecukinic K562,T lymphoid Jurhat,beta lymphoid Raji, Erythro leukemic HEL. Extract of A. marmeolus is anti proliferative  but it produces effect on MCF-7 nad MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line when it is in high concentration.

Radioprotective effect

Treatment with extract of bilva reduces the severity of symptoms of radiation induced sickness and increases survival in mice. The radio protective action be due to free radical scavenging and arrest of lipid peroxidation accompanied by an elevation in glutathione concentration in liver,kidney,stomach and intestine.

The hydroalcoholic extract of Aegle marmelos (AME) protected cultured HPBLs against the radiation-induced micronuclei at a concentration of 5 µg/ml. It was also reported to scavenge ^·OH, O₂^·–, DPPH, ABTS^·+ and NO (nitric oxide) radicals in vitro in a concentration dependent manner . The radioprotective efficacy of 15 or 250 mg/kg AME was further confirmed in animal studies where its intraperitoneal as well as oral administration has been found to protect mice against the radiation-induced sickness, gastrointestinal and bone marrow deaths and mortality giving a DRF of 1.2. It also protected mice against the radiation-induced lipid peroxidation and elevated GSH concentration in the liver, kidney, stomach and intestine at 31 days post-irradiation. Oral administration also protected mice against the gamma radiation-induced decline in erythrocytes, leukocytes, lymphocytes and clonogenicity of hemopoietic progenitor cells assessed by exogenous spleen colony forming assay. Pretreatment of mice with AME elevated the villus height and the crypt number accompanied by a decline in goblet and dead cell number . Not only leaf but also the hydroalcoholic extract of Aegle marmelos fruit administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 20 mg/kg once daily, consecutively for five days found to protect mice against the radiation-induced sickness, gastrointestinal as well as bone marrow deaths with a DRF .

Cardioprotective effect 

The leaf extract has preventing effects in isoprenaline induced myocardial infarction in rats. The activity of creatine kinase and lactate dehdogenase was increased in serum.Use of Bilva as cardiac depressant and palpitation  has also been reported.

Anti spermoatogenesis Activity

The leaf of bilva resiste the process of spermatogenesis and decreases sperm motilitry in rats. There was a marked reduction in motility and density of the sperm derived from cauda epididymis of the treated animals. A. marmelos reduced fertility of male rats by 100% at the 300-mg dose level. Serum testosterone levels also decreased significantly in all the experimental groups. The protein, glycogen and lipid peroxidation content of the testes was significantly reduced at the highest dose level; a highly significant increase in testicular cholesterol was observed along with a highly significant reduction in the sialic acid contents of testes, epididymis and seminal vesicles. Blood tests did not point to distress in any of the vital organs. Withdrawal of the extract restored all the altered parameters including organ weights, fertility, testosterone levels and tissue biochemistry to control levels after 120 days.

Antimicrobial/Antifungal Activity

It has been found active against various species such as Staphylococcus aureus,S. epidemidis,Salmonella typhimurium,E.coli,Bacillus subtilis. The essential oil isolated from the leaves of Bilva exhibits variableefficiency against different fungal isolates and causes concentration as well as time dependent inhibition of spore germination of all fungi tested ,including most resistant fungus,Fusarium udum.

Antipyretic and Analgesic activity

Bilva exhibits antipyretic,anti inflammatory and analgesic activities,as it has shown a significant inhibition of the carrageenan induced paw oedema,cotton pellet granuloma and paw itching in rats.It is also used as febrifuge in nght and intermittent fever.

Peptic ulcer

The fruit taken in the form of beverage has also great haeling properties on account of its mucilage,which  forms a coating on the stomach mucosa and thus helps in the healing of ulcers.

Respiratory Infection

In south India the juice of leaves are mixed with pepper to bring relief from wheezing cough and respiratory spasm.Its regular use builds up resistance against  cold and cough.

Other properties

The extract of leaves is beneficial in the treatment of leucorrhoea, conjunctivitis and deafness. Fruits give feeling freshness anad energy.It is used as carminative and astringent and used in thyroid related disorders.It is also used in the treatment of snake bite. It is a cardiac stimulant. Applications  have also  been reported in anaemia , fractures, swollen joints, typhoid, coma, colitis, bleeding sores and cramps.It is also used as anthelmintic. It is used in treatment of acute shigellosis, as diuretic ,in gonorrhea and in conjunctivitis.