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AGRICULTURE & FOOD:
e-NEWSLETTER
ISSN: 2581-8317
www.agrifoodmagazine.co.in
Volume 2 : Issue 5
May 2020
Monthly online magazine covering
trending and important aspects
related to agriculture, horticulture,
zoology, botany, enviornment, animal
science and food technology
AGRICULTURE & FOOD: e-Newsletter Volume 2 – Issue 5 – May 2020
www.agrifoodmagazine.co.in
ISSN: 2581-8317
71
Nutritional and medicinal properties of wood apple
Article id: 23624
1Arghya Mani* and 2Surajit Mitra
1Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Post-Harvest Technology, BCKV, Mohanpur, Nadia, WB
2Professor and Head, Department of Post-Harvest Technology, BCKV, Mohanpur, Nadia, WB
*manifruitpostharvest@gmail.com
Wood apple belongs to the family Rutaceae and is botanically known as Feronia limonia. It is also known as curd fruit, monkey fruit
and kathbel. It is believed to have originated from sub-tropical plains of India (Lande et. al., 2010) and prefers a dry climate for
optimum flowering and fruiting. It can be well grown in drought prone and semi-arid regions. The productive age of plant is believed
to be 12-70 years (Sharma et. al., 2014). The fruit is rarely grown commercially in India but has enormous potential to be a major
fruit. It is a climate resilient fruit crop and can tolerate extreme dry conditions during flowering and fruit set. At the same time it can
tolerate wet condition during fruit set (Mani and Suresh, 2018). This fruit can grow in fallow and barren waste land which is even
devoid of essential elements as well (Kumar and Deen, 2017). Juice prepared from wood apple have superb thirst quenching
capability and have tremendous potential to be an important crop for beverage processing. Traditionally in Indian homes, wood
apple is even consumed raw and is preferred because of its exquisite flavour and perfect sour-sweet blend. Wood apple is also used
to prepare processed products like chutney, jam and jelly (Morton 1987).
Wood apple fruits contain a innumerable amount of phytochemicals such as polyphenols, vitamins, saponins, coumarins,
amino acids, tri-terpenoids, phytosterols, tannins, tyramine derivatives, etc. (Dar et. al., 2013). Wood apple have several beneficial
nutritional and medicinal properties. In Indian traditional system of medicine, wood apple is known to cure diseases like dysentery,
diarrhea, asthma, wounds, tumors, hepatitis and cardiac debility (Ilango and Chitra, 2009). Wood apple is known to possess excellent
amount of nutrients which many fruits are lacking. It is having significant amount of Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B2. It have
trace amount of vitamin C as well (Poongodi et. al., 2013). Wood apple fruit is an enormous source of anti-oxidants and has potential
to scavenge free radicals in human body (Nithya and Saraswathi, 2010).
Table 1: Fruit composition of wood apple
Fruit composition
Amount
Given by
TSS
9.40–16.00 0B
Shukla and Singh, (2008)
Titratable Acidity
0.83 to 2.76 %
Shukla and Singh, (2008)
Total Sugar
4.08-4.47 %
Hiwale, (2006)
Vitamin-C
1.68 to 3.40 mg/ 100g
Shukla and Singh, (2008)
Protein
6.3 g/100 g
Poongodi et. al., (2013)
Total Carbohydrates
15.6 g/100 g
Poongodi et. al., (2013)
Moisture
72 %
Poongodi et. al., (2013)
Total Phenol
235 mg/100g
Poongodi et. al., (2013)
Antioxidant Capacity
1412.55 μg/g
Poongodi et. al., (2013)
P (%)
0.037 - 0.078
Singh et. al., (2016)
K (%)
1.29 - 1.86
Singh et. al., (2016)
Ca (%)
0.11 - 0.39
Singh et. al., (2016)
Mg (%)
3.18 - 5.92
Singh et. al., (2016)
Na (%)
3.07 - 7.54
Singh et. al., (2016)
Pectin (%)
1.39 - 1.65
Singh et. al., (2016)
Both ripe and unripe wood apple fruit is known to possess excellent medicinal properties. Ripe fruit is known to cure liver problems
and is good for heart. It has good cholesterol lowering potential as well. Unripe fruit is having enormous potential to cure diarrhea
and dysentery. Ripe fruit consumption can reduce problems and cure in longer run the problems associated with gums and teeth,
hiccough, sore throat and diseases of the gums (Seeja et. al., 2005). Ripe fruit, leaves, stem, bark and root of wood apple also have
anti-venomous capability against snake bite (Maiti and Mishra, 2000). The essential oils which are extracted from wood apple fruits
and seeds are effective against 12 bacteria causing human disease (Geda and Bokadia, 1980). Senthilkumar and Venkatesalu, (2013)
also reported anti-microbial activity of wood apple. Fruit pulp of wood apple is also known to possess antipyretic, anti-inflammatory
and analgesic activity (Ahamed et. al., 2008).
AGRICULTURE & FOOD: e-Newsletter Volume 2 – Issue 5 – May 2020
www.agrifoodmagazine.co.in
ISSN: 2581-8317
72
Even juice extracted from young leaves of wood apple when consumed solely or with milk can cure intestinal problems
associated with worms. It is also good against piles. Wood apple fruit have anti-tumor property. Mishra et. al., (2009) also reported
anti-ulcer property of wood apple. The pulp of wood apple when used for the preparation of face cream can remove lesions and
small spots from the skin (Bandara et. al., 1988). Fruits are also known to be larvicidal property and can kill insect larvae (Rahman et.
al., 2000). Wood apple is believed to be hepato-protectant with some adaptogenic activity like cleansing of blood impurities,
leucorrhoea, dyspepsia and jaundice (Morton, 1987). Acidic hetero-polysaccharide extract of wood apple fruit surprisingly exhibited
cell growth inhibition of in-vivo Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (Saima et. al., 2000). Wood apple fruits and seeds are also known to be
anti-diabetic (Gupta et. al., 2009).
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