Nutritional and therapeutic potential ofbael(Aegle marmelosCorr.) fruit juice: a review

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to summarize the scientific information of various qualities of bael fruit juice used in traditional system of medicine for variety of purposes. Utilization of bael fruit juice in day-to-day life has great nutritional, therapeutic, and commercial importance. Bael fruit contains nutrients like vitamins (riboflavin), minerals, trace elements, energy and phytochemicals, including flavonoids, polyphenols and antioxidants, that have been shown to have varied health benefits. In past few decades, bael has been extensively studied for its medicinal properties by advanced scientific techniques, and a variety of bioactive compounds like marmelosin, tannins, alkaloids, coumarins, steroids, rutacine, y-sitosterol, psoralin, xanthotoxin, scopolotein, aegelemine, aegeline, marmeline, fragrine, dictamine, cinnamide and different derivatives of cinnamide have been isolated from its fruit juice. Design/methodology/approach – The medicinal value of bael fruit is very high when the harvests just begin to ripen. As a result, it has a high demand as alternative medicine for curing the diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol, peptic ulcer, inflammation, diarrhea and dysentery, constipation, respiratory infection. Furthermore, the bael fruit juice has anticancer, cardio protective, antibacterial, antifungal, radio protective, antipyretic, analgesic, antioxidant, antiviral, anthelmintic and anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, wound healing properties. The ripe fruit juice is aromatic, has cooling and laxative effects, and arrests secretion or bleeding. Findings – The unripe or half-ripe fruit juice is good for digestion, useful in preventing or curing scurvy, and it strengthens the stomach action. It helps in the healing of ulcerated intestinal surfaces and has appreciable activity against intestinal pathogenic organisms. The present review summarizes the scientific information of various qualities of bael fruit juice used in traditional system of medicine for a variety of purposes. Originality/value – It is quite evident from this review that bael is an important medicinal herb and extensively used in Ayurveda, Siddha and other medicinal systems. Bael fruit juice is an excellent source of water and natural sugar and is important principally for containing vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, pigments, energy, organic acids, dietary fiber and other food components, which are the key factors in the medicinal value of this plant. Moreover, mechanisms of action of a few bioactive compounds have been identified so far.

Poly herbal formulation with anti-elastase and anti-oxidant properties for skin anti-aging

“…Studies have reported that Aegle marmelos exhibits anti-viral effect [ 20 ], inhibitory effect against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma [ 21 ], anti-hyperglycemic effect [ 22 , 23 ], anti-adipogenic effect [ 24 ], anti-diarrhoeal effect [ 25 ], chemo-modulatory effect against DMBA-induced skin tumorigenesis [ 26 ], ameliorative effect against alloxan-induced diabetic cardiomyopathy [ 27 ], radioprotective effect [ 28 ], anti-oxidant and hepatoprotective effects [ 29 ]. In addition, consumption of unripe and half ripe Aegle marmelos helps in complete digestion of food, prevents scurvy and has anti-microbial activity against pathogenic intestinal microorganism [ 30 ]. Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (common name – night flowering jasmine) exhibits anti-inflammatory effect [ 31 ], anti-amoebic activity, anti-leishmanial activity, anti-viral activity [ 32 ], analgesic activity, anti-pyretic activity and ulcerogenic activity [ 33 ], anti-oxidant activity [ 34 , 35 ], hypoglycemic activity, and hypolipidemic activity [ 36 ] in vitro studies.…”

Transcriptome Analysis of Bael (Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr.) a Member of Family Rutaceae

“…During the past few decades, a spike in its cultivation as a horticulture plant has been attributed to its medicinal properties, along with a hardy nature that allows it to be cultivated on marginal lands with acidic or alkaline soils [5,6]. The traditional medicine system of Ayurveda in India routinely uses every part of A. marmelos as a therapy for medical conditions [7,8]. The leaves are most easily accessible, and are therefore more regularly used for the treatments than any other plant part.…”

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“…The ripe fruit juice is aromatic, has cooling and laxative effects, and arrests secretion or bleeding. [4] Research studies confirm that the plant is rich in aegelin, marmelin, fagarine, marmesin, betulinic acid, auroptene, marmelosin, imperatorin, and limonene. [5] O. indicum L. Benth.…”