Medicinal Plants No 44

Annona squamosa Linn. Annonaceae (काष्ठदारु-कुलम्)

Eng : Custard apple, Sugar apple Hin : Sitäphal (145) Kan : Sitäphala (2992DE)

: Sitappalam, Attaccakka (mimog So, GO 00360) San : Sītāphalam (H1414) Tam : Sitäppa!am (GSSTÚLY) 'Tel : Sītāapandu (Bosodo)

Distribution : Throughout India, cultivated The plant: A small tree about 6.0 m in height; leaves simple, alternate,

bifarious, oblong-lanceolate or elliptic obtuse, glabrous above, lateral nerves 8–11 pairs ascending; Ilowers yellowish green, solitary, leaf-opposed or 2-4 on short extra axillary branchlets, sepals and petals three each; fruits yellowish green, globose with well marked areoles easily breaking into large pieces; seeds hard, brownish black,

smooth. Parts used : roots, leaves, fruits, seeds Properties and uses : The roots are powerful purgative, and are useful in

mental depression and spinal disorders. The leaves are suppurative and insecticidal, and are useful in destroying lice, proctoptosis in children and as a poultice to produce suppuration. The fruits are sweet, haematinic, cooling, sedative, stimulant, expectorant, maturant and tonic. They are useful in anaemia, burning sensation, vitiated conditions of pitta, vomiting, cough, malignant tumours, and for strengthening muscles. The seeds are abortifacient and insecticidal and are useful in destroying lice in the hair.

'सीताफलं गण्डगात्रं वैदेहीवल्लभं तथा । कृष्णबीजं चाग्रिमाख्यमातृप्यं बहुबीजकम् ॥ (शा.नि.) [Sitāphalam gandagātņam vaidēhivallabham tathā Krşņabijam cāgrimākhyamātſpyam bahubijakam" (Sa.ni.)तर्पणं रक्तकृत् स्वादु शीतळं हृद्यमेव च । बलदं मांसकृत् दाहरक्तपित्तमरुत्प्रणुत् ॥ (शा.नि.) [Tarpanam raktakrt svādu sita!am hrdyamēva ca Baladam mamsakrt daharaktapittamarutpranut" (Sa.ni.)]

"सीताफलं तु मधुरं शीतं हृद्यं बलप्रदम् । वातळं कफकृत् स्वादु पुष्टिकृत् पित्तनाशनम् ॥ (नि.र.) ["Sitāphalam tu madhuram sitam hrdyam balapradam Vāta!am kaphakrt svādu pustikịt pittanāśanam" (Ni.ra.)]