Common Name: Black Myrobalan

General Information

Black myrobalan is an evergreen tree growing to a height of 25 metres with a rounded crown of spreading branches[, ]. The cylindrical bole is quite short, usually 5 - 10 metres long and 60 - 80cm in diameter[].
The tree is particularly valued as an excellent source of tannins, though it also provides a good quality wood, plus it has a wide range of medicinal and edible uses. It is often cultivated on a commercial basis for the tannin in its fruit, and also for its medicinal properties, especially in India[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - China, India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh.Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam.

Habitat

Scattered in teak forest, mixed deciduous forest, extending into forests of comparatively dry types; at elevations up to 1,500 metres, occasionally to 2,000 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in tropical and subtropical areas up to an elevation of 1,500 metres, exceptionally to 2,000 metres[]. It grows best in areas where the mean maximum and minimum annual temperatures are within the range 22 - 35°c, though it can tolerate 5 - 47°c[]. Plants are fairly tolerant to frost, but are killed by temperatures below -5°c[, ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 1,700mm, though can tolerate from 750 - 3,300mm[].
Prefers a sunny position, but younger plants tolerate some shade[, ]. Succeeds in any moderately fertile, well-drained soil from sandy to clayey[, ]. Established plants are fairly drought tolerant[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, but tolerates 5 - 7.5[].
Growth rates of seedlings and young trees is quite slow[].
Regrows well after burning and also after coppicing, producing new shoots 2 - 3 metres long after 5 years[, ].
Regeneration of natural stands from seed is usually poor, maybe because people harvest the fruit, but also because of predation by animals[].
Yields of up to 10 kilos of fruit per tree per year can be obtained from trees growing wild[].

Edible Uses

Seed - eaten as a snack[]. They have a flavour reminiscent of almonds or filberts[].

An edible oil is obtained from the seed[].

Fruit. The sour fruits are eaten in salads, preserved in brine or fried[]. The yellow to orange-brown obovoid fruit is 25 - 50mm long[].

The fruit has been used in the manufacture of black salt[]. It has a distinctive smoky flavour and is a main ingredient of the spice blend known as chat masala[].

Medicinal

Black myrobalan is of central importance to Ayurvedic medicine[]. It has long been considered a prime remedy for all manner of digestive problems and is sacred to Siva[, ]. The medicinal properties have been tested in numerous experiments.
The fruits contain a range of medically active constituents including anthraquinones, tannins, chebulic acid, resin and a fixed oil[].
Fruit extracts exhibited significant inhibitory activity on oxidative stress and age-dependent shortening of the telomeric DNA length, and thus an inhibitory effect on cellular aging. They also have shown cardioprotective effect[].
A crude extract of the fruits inhibited cancer cell growth, with chebulinic acid, tannic acid and ellagic acid as the most inhibitory phenolics[].
Antidiabetic effects of the fruit extract have been demonstrated[].
The fruits showed antiviral activities. Gallic acid and 3 galloyl glucoses were isolated as inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase[].
Extracts inhibited replication of human cytomegalovirus (CMV), and may be beneficial for the prophylaxis of CMV disease in immuno-compromised patients. They also showed activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)[].
Antibacterial activities have been demonstrated[].
An extract of the fruit inhibited glycolysis of salivary bacteria and may serve as an anticaries agent[].
Topical administration of a leaf extract accelerated the healing process of wounds, partly by possessing antimicrobial activity[]

Black myrobalan is a sweet, astringent, warming herb with an unpleasant taste[]. They have numerous medicinal properties: laxative, stomachic, expectorant, haemostatic, tonic, and alterative. They show antibacterial and antifungal activity, and are used to cure inflamed gums and as a relief in asthma[].
The fruits are used internally in the treatment of constipation, digestive and nervous complaints, diarrhoea, dysentery, intestinal worms, haemorrhoids, rectal prolapse, abnormal uterine bleeding and inflammation, vaginal discharge, involuntary ejaculation, coughs and asthma[].
Externally, it is used to treat ulcers, wounds, mouth inflammation and gum disease[].
The fruit is harvested when ripe and sun-dried for later use[].

The sour fruits are a major ingredient of 'triphala', a rejuvenative, laxative tonic based on this species plus the fruits of Phyllanthus emblica and Terminalia belerica[]. It is also an ingredient of 'amrit kalash', another famous Ayurvedic tonic formula[].

The bark is diuretic[].

Other Uses

The fruits are rich in tannin, and are used on a large scale in India, usually combined with syntans and with other vegetable tanning materials such as black wattle (Acacia mearnsii), avaram (Cassia auriculata) and Ceriops tagal[, ].
The fruits are also used in calico dyeing and printing, both as auxiliaries and as dyes; their tannins act as mordants to fix the dyes onto the cotton cloth and the unctuous consistence of the pulp makes the surface of the cloth suitably smooth to receive fine printed or painted designs[].
A yellow dye can be prepared from the fruits plus alum; a black dye and ink can be prepared from the fruits plus iron. Myrobalans are also used as a mordant for the basic aniline dyes[, ].
The dried fruit-pulp has an average tannin content of 30 - 32%, but the content varies considerably with the place of origin. Poor samples may register less than 20% tannin, good ones over 40%. Other parts of the plant such as roots, bark, wood and leaves, also contain tannin, but less than the fruits[].
Astringent galls often form on young twigs. These are rich in tannins and are used to make dyes and ink[].

The flowers give a yellow dye, used for painting yellow and green details on calicos[]

A transparent oil is obtained from the seed[].

The heartwood is usually quite small, it is dark brown to reddish-brown; it is sharply differentiated from the spawood, which is yellowish-grey to grey, sometimes with a greenish tinge. Texture is medium to fine; the grain interlocked, sometimes curly. The wood is very hard; heavy to very heavy; strong and tough; not durable unless under cover. It is very difficult to saw, to season and to work. It is used as construction timber and for furniture, carts and implements[, ]. It is not of much value according to some reports[, ], whilst another says that it is of good quality[].

Propagation

The fallen fruits are collected and dried thoroughly first. Later the hardened flesh is removed Fermentation of the stones gives the best germination results, but clipping the broad end of the stone without damaging the embryo, followed by soaking in cold water for 36 hours gives good results too[]. The seed is usually sown in a nursery bed or containers, direct sowing is not advisable because of the risk of predation and because the seeds germinate poorly[]. The germination rate of the seed is up to 50%[]. Early growth is comparatively slow, with seedlings 10 - 20cm tall by the end of the first season and 25 - 50cm tall by the end of the second season[].
Cuttings[].

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