Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/466

386 obliquely ovoid or cordate-ovate, with a slight obtuse notch on either side under the apex ; unequally compressed ; slightly convex in some parts, and quite plain in others ; cup fleshy, orange-red, smooth, succulent, sweet, edible when ripe, formed of the thickened disk and accrescent Calyx-base. Pericarp smooth, shining, black, thick ; containing between the outer and inner laminæ roundish or oblong cells, full of corrosive resinous juice. This juice is white when the fruit is young, darkening on exposure to air. In the mature fruit, it is brownish or perfectly black ; inner lamina hard, rugose, outer smooth, leathery, less hard. Seed pendulous, with a swollen or umbillicate funicle (Lubbock).

Testa coriaceous, inner coat somewhat fleshy. Embryo thick, milk-white. Plumule ovate-leaved, veined, conduplicate, very thin. Cotyledons fleshy, thick, white, irregularly plano- convex. Albumen absent. Radicle superior, minute, connate with the apex of the cotyledons, always directed to the hilum.

Parts used: — The fruit.

Use : — In Hindoo medicine the ripe fruits are regarded as acrid, heating, stimulant, digestive, nervine and escharotic, and are used in dyspepsia, piles, skin diseases, nervous debility, &c. (Dutt).

Mahomedan writers consider the juice of the pericarp to be hot and dry, useful in all kinds of skin diseases, palsy, epilepsy and other affections of the nervous system. Externally, it is applied to cold swellings, such as piles (Dymock).

The Hakeems administer it for weakness of memory, epilepsy, etc. They consider it to be injurious to the liver, inflames the blood, and can produce melancholia, insanity, frenzy, etc. (Honnigberger.)

The Telingee physicians use it as a specific in all kinds of venereal affections (Roxburgh). A brown gum exudes from the bark which the Hindus regard as a valuable medicine in scrofulous, venereal and leprous affections (Ainslie). An oil from the nut acts as a vesicant in rheumatism and sprains (Ainslie).