Jambul / Jambol / Java Plum
Native to southern Asia and Australia, jambul is now found growing throughout tropical regions of India, Indonesia, China, Australia, the Antilles, and Africa. It is related to Cloves and comes from a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs with edible fruits and seeds that are used in many medicinal preparations. Many species are found exclusively in South America. Cultivated mainly for its fruit, jambul is a typical example of a plant used for food and for medicine. The plant grows to over thirty feet, with lance-shaped leaves and greenish yellow flowers. The ripened fruit has a scent and taste of ripe apricots.
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Medicinal Parts: the dried bark, dried seed kernels, disintegrated kernels, dried trunk bark, and macerated seeds.
Qualities Cooling, constricting
Properties; Antidiabetic, antidiarrheal, astringent, bitter
Constituents
JAMBOL SEED:
Fatty oil (3-5%); containing oleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid and linoleic acid, sterculiac acid and malvalic acid (cyclopropylidenic acids), among others, as well as vernolic acid (epoxy fatty acid)
Effects of Seed
Anti-inflammatory actions were demonstrated in animal experiments. Results of hypoglycemic and CNS experiments were not conclusive
JAMBOL BARK
Tannins (6%); gallic and ellagic acid derivatives including 3,3'- Di-O-methyl ellagic acid
Steroids; sterols, including beta-sitosterol, beta-sitosterol glucoside
Triterpenes; betulinic acid, friedelin, friedelan-3- alpha-ole, epi-friedelanol, eugenin
Flvonoids; including myricetin, kempferol, quercetin, astragalin
Effects of Bark
The bark has astringent effects because of the tannin content.
Uses
JAMBOL SEED
The seed is used for diabetes and in combination preparations for atonic and spastic constipation, diseases of the pancreas, gastric and pancreatic complaints, and nervous disorders.
JAMBOL BARK
Approved by Commission E:
- Diarrhea
- Inflammation of the mouth and pharynx
- Inflammation of the skin
Unproven uses: Preparations are used internally for bronchitis, asthma, dysentery, and externally for ulcers
Traditional Uses;
Decoctions or tinctures from the seeds are used to treat diarrhea and colic.
The fruit and seeds are used in the treatment of diabetes. Research has shown that it has significant hypoglycemic action in both the urine and blood and, therefore, of value to diabetics. A number of herbal medicines are proving helpful in this area, including the bilberry, as well as jambul. Tests show that even small amounts of jambul will rapidly reduce blood and urine sugar levels. The reason that this plant is not used more extensively for this purpose is because it seems to work only in a small percentage of diabetics.
In India, powdered jambul seeds, or occasionally the tincture, are given for diabetes and the frequent urination that accompanies it.
In Ayurvedic medicine, jambul is ground with mango seeds and taken to treat diarrhea and dysentery.
An effective remedy for indigestion, soothing stomach cramps and dispersing gas.
In parts of Southeast Asia, the roots are sometimes given as a treatment for epilepsy.
There are many related species that are also valued for their therapeutic properties, including cloves (E. caryophyllata) for digestive problems and infections, E. chequeri, from Chile, and E. gerrodi from South Africa are used to treat coughs and congestion. From Brazil, E. uniflora is used to help repel mosquitoes and other insects.
Physio-Medical Therapeutics, Materia Medica and Pharmacy BY T. J. LYLE, A.M.M. 1897
This is a tree of some considerable size, yielding an abundant crop of a pleasant and a much esteemed sub-acid fruit. In the East Indian peninsula it is abundant in both the wild and the cultivated states. The fresh bark and the leaves yield a juice that is valued in the treatment of acute and chronic diarrhoea both of children and of adults.
The use of the root and of the seed gives similar favourable results. The bark and especially the seeds have the property of arresting the excessive formation of sugar in cases of diabetes mellitis. The physicians of India claim that not only does this agent cure diabetes, but it enables the patient to continue to eat anything without augmentation of sugar in the urine.
It arrests emaciation, assists in the general improvement of nutrition, giving natural sleep and a lesser tendency to micturition. It diminishes the density and quantity of urine and relieves the intolerable thirst of which those patients suffer.
It influences intestinal digestion and thus prevents excessive saccharification. It influences the vasomotor centres and is hence useful in cages of diabetes of nervous origin. Large doses may produce nausea in some patients. In order to better prevent the tendency to glycosuria the diet should be watched and restricted to skimmed milk, gluten bread and meat.
The powdered extract may be given in dose of 5 grs. 3 times a day, or 5 to 8 grains of the powdered seeds may be given, or 6 to 8 drops of the fluid extract. These doses may be much increased if desired. It is usually best to begin with small doses, say 5 drops of the fluid extract one hour after each meal and this dose increased one drop per dose per day or given as required.
Cautions
Administration of the seed in the presence of diabetes mellitus is not recommended, due to the fact that the blood sugar-reducing effect is unproved.
Prep/Dose
Tincture Dried leaf (1:5, 60% alcohol); 1-4 ml 3 times daily
Capsule or Powder 3,000-10,000 mg (3-20 grams) daily
JAMBOL SEED
Daily dose: a single dose is made up of 30 seeds (1.9 g) powdered form
JAMBOL BARK
Decoction: for internal and external use, place 1 to 2 teaspoonsfuls of comminuted drug in about 150 mL cold water, bring to a boil, simmer for 5 to 10 minutes and strain
Daily dose: the average daily dose is 3 to 6 g drug