Name: ANAR
Botanical Name: Punica granatum
Local Names: Dalmia (Bengali), Anar (Hindi), Darima (Sanskrit), Madulai (Tamil), Pomegranate (English).
Plant Identification and Habitat: Occurs wild in
the Northwest of India, but is cultivated throughout India.
Grows wild in the Salt Range and in the Himalayas from 3 000 -6 000 feet.
Shrub or small tree. Leaves; opposite or sub opposite. Flowers;
terminal or axillary, calyx coriaceous (having a leathery appearance),
prolonged above the ovary, ovary inferior. Fruit: large globose,
indehiscent (fruits not opening when mature). Seeds: angular. Seed
coat; coriaceous. Pulp; red and juicy.
| Properties and ActionAccording to Indigenous Medical Systems: | Guna – Laghu, Snigdha
Ras – Madhur, Kashay Amla Veerya – Anushna Vipak - Madhur, Amla Action (Karma); the fruit is Agnideepak (appetiser),
Ruchijanak, Pittakarak (enhances PITTA), Hridya (strenghens
heart), Grahi (anti –diarrhoea), Sheetal (cooling), Rakta Shodak
(blood purifier)
The 'Pomegranate' has traditionally been regarded as a symbol of fertility. In India, the pomegranate is upheld for its sacred value. The leaves or flowers are offered to Lord Ganapati, Lord Satyanarayana and Lord Samba on Shree Sankastha Vrata and Nitya Somavara Vrata respectively. |
| Biopiracy and the Enclosure of the Commons: | It was traditionally used in fevers as pathya (suitable diet). Anar cures fever and its complications and increases energy in the body. Since its properties have been systematically studied within our indigenous knowledge systems, the claim to novelty on which the following patent is based is false. |
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| 5 411 733 | Anti-viral agent containing crude drug. | Toyoharu Hozumi,
Takao Matsumoto, Haruo Ooyama, Tsuneo Namba, Kimiyasu Shiraki, Hattori Masao, Masahiko Kurokawa, Shigetoshi Kadota, Japan. |
None |
Conjunctivitis: Prepare a paste from the green leaves of the plant by washing and grinding on a stone grinder, then apply to the eyes.
Diarrhoea: About 3 inches of bark is put into 4 cups of water which is boiled, reduced to 1 cup and then strained and taken. Dosage: Half a cup in the morning and then again in the evening till cured. Alternatively prepare a decoction of fruit peel. Roast the fruit, crush and then take out the juice.
Vomiting: Half a cup of pomegranate leaves are crushed, put in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes and then drunk. Dosage: 1 cup once only.
Dysentery: A combination of rind of fruit and bark is an efficacious remedy, to be taken internally. Also the juice of the pulp is advised. The rind and bark can be prepared by grinding into a paste and making an infusion, which is filtered before consuming.
Intestinal Worms: Ripe fruit skin is dried in the shade and then crushed to prepare a fine powder obtained by straining through a muslin cloth. Dosage: 1 teaspoon of the powder is taken with water in the morning and evening for 3 days. Or fresh bark, 1 part fresh bark with 20 parts of water, boil till reduces till half, filter, five ml half hourly four times on an empty stomach and then give castor oil.
Weakness: The fruit pulp is crushed in a cloth and juice obtained. To 1 cup of juice, 2 cups of sugar are added. This is boiled to a thick syrup consistency. Dosage: 2 teaspoons of the syrup are taken in the morning and evening until cured.
Abscess: A 3 inch long strip of bark is rubbed on a stone to make a paste. The paste is applied in the morning and evening until cured.
Astringent; The plant has a cooling effect on the body and is thus good for relieving burning sensations.
The fruit is taken for uterine prolapse.
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