Ayurvedic Herb Aegle marmelos (Bilva)

Different common names  of Bilva are बेल (bel), sirphal, stone apple etc . This plant is a mid-sized, slender, aromatic, armed, gum-bearing tree growing up to 18 meters tall.

In short:

Parts used – Fruit, leaves and root

Uses – The fruit, leaves and root of Bilva is used in the form of powder, juice and decoction to treat diarrhoea, sprue, piles, oedema, jaundice, vomiting, obesity, deafness, eye diseases, paediatric diseases, fever and as a rejuvinative.

It has a great Anti diabetic value. It the study it was found to reduce blood sugar in alloxan diabetic rats.

This plant is used in different other disease as following:

Diarrhoea

1. To treat diarrhoea by taking tender fruits of bilva with honey or butter milk (10-20 gms) (CS.Ci.19.113)

2. In case of diarrhoea with blood, tender fruits of bilva mixed with liquid jaggery, honey and oil should be taken. (10-20 gms) (SS.U.40.119)

3. Decoction of bilva and amra (Mangifera indica) (seed) mixed with honey and sugar checks vomiting and diarrhoea (10-15 gms)(VM.3.30)

Jaundice

Intake of bilva leaves (juice) mixed with trikatu (piper longum, piper nigrum, zingiber officinale) alleviates jaundice, (20 ml)(CS.Ci.16.59)

Vomiting

1. Cooled decoction of bilva or guduci (Tinospora cordifolia)added with honey should be taken in case of vomiting (40-60 ml) (VM.15.15; BP.Ci.17.25)

2. Perched paddy mixed with sugar and dissolved in decoction of bilva root (bark) should administer to the child. It checks vomiting and diarrhea (40 –60ml) (BS balaroga.49)

Not only medicinal , this plant is also has great cultural  importance in marriage of some races who follow Bel Viwaha(बेल विवाह).
It is also said by the religious person that this plant(tree) symbolize the presence of lord Shiva in it.