Botanical Names: Beleric, Belliric Myrobalan, Baehra
Family Name: Combretaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales
Family: Combretaceae
Genus: Terminalia
Species: T. bellirica
Popular Names: Beleric Myrobalan, Bibhitaki, Bahera, Bahira, Bilhitak, Baheda, Vibhidhaka, Bastard Myrobalan, Bedda Nut.
Part Used: Fruit.
Habitat: Grown throughout India.
Description
Beleric is a large deciduous tree found throughout India, in areas up to an altitude of 1,000 metres. The tree takes a height of 30 metres, while the bark is brownish grey in colour. The alternate, broadly elliptic leaves are clustered towards the end of the branches. They are 10 to 12 cm in length and 7 to 14 cm in breadth. The simple, solitary flowers are in auxiliary spikes, with offensive odour. They blossom in the month of May. The fruits are ovoid grey drupes and the kernels are sweet, but narcotic. The tree is found in abundance in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra. It is known as vibhitaki, karshaphala and kalidruma in Sanskrit and bahera in Hindi.
Plant Chemicals
(+)- ?-sitosterol, gallic acid, ellagic acid, chebulagic acid, galloyl glucose, fatty acid, protein, oxalic acid, tannin, palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, galactose, glucose, ethyl gallate.
Uses and Benefits of Baheda
- Beleric is a rejuvenative and laxative. It proves beneficial for hair, throat and eyes.
- Beleric seed oil or fruit paste is applied on swollen and painful parts.
- The seed oil gives excellent results in skin diseases and premature greying of hair.
- Fruit pieces are baked and chewed for cough, cold, hoarseness of voice and asthma.
- Beleric fruit is powdered and used to dress wounds to arrest the bleeding.
- Beleric fruits and kernels are used in making medicated hair oil, used to alleviate pain and burning sensation, boost hair growth and impart black colour to the hair.
- The paste of the fruit is applied on eyelids, in case of conjunctivitis.
- The herb is used in various eye-ailments, such as myopia, corneal opacity, pterigium, immature cataract, chronic and acute infective conditions.
- Beleric helps in the loss of appetite, flatulence, thirst, piles and worms.
- The ripened fruit acts as an astringent and anti-diarrhoeal.
- The decoction of the kernels is used in case of excessive thirst and vomiting.
- Beleric plant alleviates cough, relieves blocked phlegm, controls bleeding in the sputum and eases bronchospasms.
- It prevents ageing, imparts longevity, boosts immunity, improves mental faculties and enhances the body resistance against diseases.
- It helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Caution
It is best to avoid belerica during pregnancy, as there is some evidence of the herb being unsafe during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
