Aegle Species, Bael Fruit, Bengal Quince, Golden Apple, Japanese Bitter Orange, Wood Apple

ael Benefits – About Root, Fruit And Stem, Uses, Research
Bael tree is known as Bilva in Sanskrit. It is an ancient Ayurvedic tr...Read Moreee with spiritual and medicinal importance. It is extensively described in Indian literature, since Vedic period. It is one among Dashamoola herbs (Group of ten roots).

Botanical name is Aegle marmelos,
belongs to Rutaceae family.

Hindi and English name – Bel, Bael.
Synonyms: Maaloora, Shandilya, Shailusha, Shriphala, Gandhagarbha, Sadaaphala, Mahakapittha, Kantaki, Granthila.

Classical categorization:
Charaka:
Shothahara – Group of herbs with anti inflammatory property
Arshoghna – Group of herbs useful in haemorrhoids
Asthapanopaga – Group of herbs useful in Basti treatment.
Charaka has mentioned it as a plant source for oil. (Reference) – Sthavara Sneha Yoni

Sushruta –
Varunadi, Ambashtadi, Brihat panchamoola, Dashamoola

Spiritual significance: Bilva is called as Shiva Druma. Its leaves are offered to Lord Shiva. As per Divine Park, offering of bilva leaf, with its three leaflets symbolizes – offering of “I, mine and ‘because of me’ ” types of ego centric attitude at the feet of the Lord. (Reference: Divine Park )

Distribution: It is distributed throughout India.

Medicinal properties:
Bilva Phala – Bael fruit Benefits –

बिल्वं तु दुर्जरं पक्वं दोषलं पूतिमारुतम्|
स्निग्धोष्णतीक्ष्णं तद्बालं दीपनं कफवातजित्||१३८||
bilvaṃ tu durjaraṃ pakvaṃ doṣalaṃ pūtimārutam|
snigdhoṣṇatīkṣṇaṃ tadbālaṃ dīpanaṃ kaphavātajit||138|| – Charaka Samhita Sutrasthana 27

Unripe bael fruit
Kapha anila hara – balances Vata and kapha.
Teekshna (piercing)
Snigdha (unctuous, oilyness)
Sangrahi – Absorbant
Deepana – improves digestion
Katu, Tikta, Kashaya – has pungent, bitter and astringent taste
Ushna – hot
The young unipe bael fruits
Snigdha – unctuous, oily
Ushna – hot
Teekshna -Piercing
Pittavardhana – increases Pitta.
Deepana – improves digestion strength
Kapha Vatajit – Balances Kapha and Vata.

Ripe Bael fruit –
Durjara – difficult for digestion,
Doshala – aggravates all the Doshas
Pooti Maruta – producer of foul smelling flatus.
Madhura anurasa – It has sweet after taste
Guru (heavy to digest)
Vidahi – causes slight burning sensation
Vishtambhakara – causes constipation. Useful in diarrhoea and dysentery
Doshakrut – may cause imbalance of Tridosha, especially Vata.

Bael root –
बिल्वमूलं त्रिदोषघ्नं छर्दिघ्नं मधुरं लघु । धन्वन्तरि निघण्टु
bilvamūlaṃ tridoṣaghnaṃ chardighnaṃ madhuraṃ laghu | dhanvantari nighaṇṭu

Tridoshaghna – balances Tridosha
Chardighna – relieves vomiting
Madhura – sweet
Laghu – light to digest

The unripe fruit of Bael is

Tuvara – Astringent
Grahi – absorbant
Ruksha – Dry
Agni Pittakrut – improves digestion and Pitta.
Vatashleshmahara – balances Vata and Kapha

Bilva leaf is
Sangrahi – Absorbant
Vatajit – Balances Vata

Bael leaves – Bael leaves are used in dyspepsia, gastritis indigestion, cold and sinusitis.

Bilva Root is
Doshaghna – balances Tridosha
Vamighna – relieves vomiting
Shulaghna – relieves abdominal colic pain

Aegle marmelos (Bael) Pith is
Kaphavataghna – balances Kapha and Vata
Amaghna – relieves state of indigestion at the level of digestive tract and tissues
Shulaghna – relieves abdominal colic pain
Grahini – Absorbant

Bilwa Stem is
Kasaghna – relieves cough, cold
Amavataghna – useful in rheumatoid arthritis
Hrudya – good for heart
Agnivardhana – improves digestion power – Carminative
Katu – pungent
Kashaya – astringent
Ushna – hot
Tikta – Bitter
Deepana, Pachana – Digestive, improves digestive enzymes
Snigdha (unctuous, oilyness)
Teekshna (piercing)

Bilva Flower
Atisarahara – Relieves dysentery and diarrhoea
Trushahara – relieves thirst
Vamihara – anti emetic – relieves vomiting.
Oil derived from bael fruit pulp is hot in nature, and relieves Vata.
Bael fruit kept in sour gruel improves digestion power, acts as carminative.

Chemical composition and pharmacology

How to preserve and use?
Bael leaves are used to prepare curries and Sambhar. If you are using the fresh leaves, taking it in that manner is helpful.

Or, you can dry the leaves in shade and use the power along with turmeric and other spices in diet.
The method of preserving the root stem and fruit – is drying under shade and making powder of it.
Its powder can be taken directly for getting desired health benefits.
Bilva – one among Dashamoola – Bilva is the first ingredient of Dashamoola group of roots. This group represents potent anti inflammatory activity, that Bilva possesses.

Bilva is very useful in diarrhea and dysentery. Hence it is one of the essential ingredients in many Ayurvedic anti-diarrhoeal medicines such as Kutajavaleha and Brihat Gangadhara Churna

Bilva Tail – An oil prepared with bael root is used in ear diseases.

Vilwadi Gulika – a very useful Ayurvedic medicine, with Aegle marmelos as the main ingredient, is used in insect bites, fever etc.

Bael leaves juice extract is used as an ingredient in making Astapatra taila, which is used in treatment of headache.

There are many research reports suggesting potent hypoglycemic activity of Bilva. Hence it is used in Ayurvedic treatment of diabetes.

Dry bel fruits vs fresh fruits:
द्राक्षाबिल्वशिवादीनां फलं शुष्कं गुणाधिकम् ||५१|| – Bhavaprakasha.
drākṣābilvaśivādīnāṃ phalaṃ śuṣkaṃ guṇādhikam ||51|| –

In case of grapes, bael fruit and Haritaki (Harad fruit), – the dried fruits are better than the fresh.

The tree is spiritually significant. It is a must for worshipping Lord Shiva.Hence it is Sacred to Hindus.