Background
- Indian bael, a native plant of India, has spread over wide areas of southeast Asia. The ripe fruit and unripe fruit, as well as the roots, leaves and branches have all been used in traditional medicine. In Ayurveda, the ripe fruit has been used for chronic diarrhea and dysentery, as a tonic for the heart and brain, and as adjuvant treatment of dysentery. A decoction of the roots has been used to treat melancholia, intermittent fevers, and palpitations; the roots have mainly been used as an ingredient of the Ayurvedic medicine, dashmool. The leaves have been given as a febrifuge, and as a poultice for the treatment of eye disorders and ulcers; and administration of fresh leaves has been used for weakness of the heart, dropsy, and beriberi.
- A survey showed that in 2001-2002 in a Himalayan region (State of Uttaranchal, Indian Republic), vaidyas (practitioners of Ayurveda) used Indian bael as an ingredient in respective herbal formulations for boils, dysentery, earaches, discharge from the ears, and fever/cold.
- There are very few available human studies evaluating bael fruit for any condition, although Indian bael has been studied in animals and laboratory studies.
References
Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to . Selected references are listed below.
- Anandharajan R, Jaiganesh S, Shankernarayanan NP, et al. In vitro glucose uptake activity of Aegles marmelos and Syzygium cumini by activation of Glut-4, PI3 kinase and PPARgamma in L6 myotubes. Phytomedicine 2006;13(6):434-441.
View Abstract - Arul V, Miyazaki S, Dhananjayan R. Mechanisms of the contractile effect of the alcoholic extract of Aegle marmelos Corr. on isolated guinea pig ileum and tracheal chain. Phytomedicine 2004;11(7-8):679-683.
View Abstract - Arul V, Miyazaki S, Dhananjayan R. Studies on the anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic properties of the leaves of Aegle marmelos Corr. J Ethnopharmacol 1-4-2005;96(1-2):159-163.
View Abstract - Costa-Lotufo LV, Khan MT, Ather A, et al. Studies of the anticancer potential of plants used in Bangladeshi folk medicine. J Ethnopharmacol 5-13-2005;99(1):21-30.
View Abstract - Jagetia GC, Venkatesh P, Baliga MS. Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa inhibits the proliferation of transplanted Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in mice. Biol Pharm Bull 2005;28(1):58-64.
View Abstract - Jagetia GC, Venkatesh P, Baliga MS. Evaluation of the radioprotective effect of bael leaf (Aegle marmelos) extract in mice. Int J Radiat.Biol 2004;80(4):281-290.
View Abstract - Kamalakkannan N, Prince PS. The effect of Aegle marmelos fruit extract in streptozotocin diabetes: a histopathological study. J Herb Pharmacother. 2005;5(3):87-96.
View Abstract - Kesari AN, Gupta RK, Singh SK, et al. Hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic activity of Aegle marmelos seed extract in normal and diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol 10-11-2006;107(3):374-379.
View Abstract - Lambertini E, Lampronti I, Penolazzi L, et al. Expression of estrogen receptor alpha gene in breast cancer cells treated with transcription factor decoy is modulated by Bangladeshi natural plant extracts. Oncol.Res 2005;15(2):69-79.
View Abstract - Narender T, Shweta S, Tiwari P, et al. Antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic agent from Aegle marmelos. Bioorg.Med Chem Lett 12-15-2006;
View Abstract - Narendhirakannan RT, Subramanian S, Kandaswamy M. Biochemical evaluation of antidiabetogenic properties of some commonly used Indian plants on streptozotocin-induced diabetes in experimental rats. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2006;33(12):1150-1157.
View Abstract - Panda S, Kar A. Evaluation of the antithyroid, antioxidative and antihyperglycemic activity of scopoletin from Aegle marmelos leaves in hyperthyroid rats. Phytother Res 2006;20(12):1103-1105.
View Abstract - Rajadurai M, Prince PS. Comparative effects of Aegle marmelos extract and alpha-tocopherol on serum lipids, lipid peroxides and cardiac enzyme levels in rats with isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction. Singapore Med J 2005;46(2):78-81.
View Abstract - Sabu MC, Kuttan R. Antidiabetic activity of Aegle marmelos and its relationship with its antioxidant properties. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 2004;48(1):81-88.
View Abstract - Veerappan A, Miyazaki S, Kadarkaraisamy M, et al. Acute and subacute toxicity studies of Aegle marmelos Corr., an Indian medicinal plant. Phytomedicine 2-19-2007;14(2-3):209-215.
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