Sitaphal is a plant common in India. It is also found in Central America, Dr.Abhay Kumar Pati, CEO

June 13, 2010 - PRLog -- SITAPHAL

Latin name:            Annona squamosa   
English name:         Sugar apple, Custard apple
Sanskrit name:          Sitaphal
Indian name:             Sitaphal, Sharifa

Medicinal parts used:       Roots, Bark, Fruits, Leaves, Seeds

Sitaphal is a plant common in India. It is also found in Central America, Peru, Brazil, Mexico and West Indies. In Southeast Asia this tree is very common.

This is a deciduous tree. It grows to a height of 3 to5 meters, with light-black, rough, longitudinally fissured bark. The leaves are elliptic-oblong, oroblong, lanceolate, rarely obovate and petiolate. The flowers are solitary or 2-3 fascicled, axillary or leaf opposed. The fruits are 5-10 cms. across, globose or cordate-ovoid with projecting areoles. The fruits are eaten fresh.

The seeds are acrid and poisonous. Bark, leaves and seeds contain the alkaloid, anonaine. Six other aporphine alkaloids have been isolated from the leaves and stems: corydine, roemerine, norcorydine, norisocarydine, isocorydine and glaucine. Aporphine, norlaureline and dienone may be present also.

Therapeutic use:
•   The roots of this plant are purgative in nature and the bark is a powerful astringent.
•   Fruits are considered as a good tonic in Ayurveda.
•   It enriches blood and it is used as expectorant.
•   It is known to increases muscular strength.
•   Seeds are cooling and it lessens burning sensation too.
•   Leaves are known to heal ulcers and wounds.
•   In India, the crushed leaves are sniffed to overcome hysteria and fainting spells.
•   Decoction obtained from the leaves is said to be effective in cases of dysentery or severe diarrhea.
•   The leaf decoction is also employed in baths to alleviate rheumatic pain.
•   Powder from the bark is very effective in stomach problems.
•   Sugar-apple fruit is high in calories and is a good source of iron.
•   It is used by some societies in India to prepare a hair tonic and seeds are also ground and applied to rid the hair of lice.

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Biotechayur manufactures botanical standardized nutritional herbal extracts. Biotechayur also manufactures aminoacids, protein, and aromatic essences
The plant is located in Orissa, India