Abstract

SYZYGIUM CUMINI (JAMUN): ANTIDIABETIC FRUIT PLANT WITH SIGNIFICANT AYURVEDIC AND THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES

Hemlata Kaurav*, Shailja Choudhary and Gitika Chaudhary

ABSTRACT

Herbal plants have been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. One such herbal plant is Syzgium cumini which is also known as Jamun or Indian blackberry that belongs to the Myrtaceae family. The plant is widely used to treat a variety of diseases. The fruits of the plant are edible and rich source of antioxidants and several bioactive components such as flavonoids, carotenoids, anthocyanin, fibers, tannins and phenolic acids which are beneficial to human health. The plant is widely used in folklore, ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha medicinal systems to treat various diseases and ailments such as diarrhea, dysentery, ulcer, vomiting, bronchitis, asthma, cough, bleeding gums, diabetes and many more. The plant possesses astringent, digestive, diuretic, refrigerant, sweet, sour, carminative and digestive properties. The plant is specifically used against diabetes. Besides this, the plant is associated with various therapeutic and pharmacological properties such as antidiabetic, anticancer, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic and radioprotective. In this review article, the medicinal usage of the Jamun plant in the Ayurveda and folklore system is briefly discussed along with its reported pharmacological properties.

Keywords: Jamun, Syzygium cumini, Ayurveda, Antidiabetic, Folk uses.