DADIMA

Punica granatum – Ayurvedic Herb

 

 

 

Dadima is one of the herb mentioned in all ancient Sanskrit scriptures of Ayurveda . It has been commonly used as an edible fruit, as well as for medicinal purpose.

 

Although previously placed its own family punicaceae, recent phylogenetic studies have shown that punica belongs in the family “Lythraceae” and it is classified in that family by the Angiosperm phylogeny group.

 

LITERARY REVIEW

The description of Dadima in Patanjalis “Mahabhasya” Panini’s Guna patha and sankha Likhitha Dharma sutra.

 

It is one of the extensively used vegetable drug (Phala varga Dravya) in the therapeutics by Brihat trayi. The seeds are used in the treatment of Grahani, Atisara and Pravahika. Fresh juice of it’s flowers will be used as nasal drop in the management of epistaxis(Nasagata Raktapitta).

VERNACULAR NAMES

English – Pomegrante

Hindi – Anar

Kannada – Dalimbe

Malayalam – Matalam

Tamil – Maduli

Telugu – Danimma Kaya

SYNONYMS AND INTERPRETATIONS

• Dadima : The fruit are cut open
• Karaka : The seeds are scattered
• Dantabeeja : The seeds are like the teeth.
• Lohita pushpa : The flowers are red in colour
• Sukteshtam : It is liked by favourite of parrots
• Kuttima : The fruit which is usually cut open
• Phalashadava : The fruits are sweet or sor in taste
• Raktabeeja : The seeds are red in colour
• Svadvamlam : The taste of fruit is svadu and amla
• 10.Valkalaphala : The fruit is covered with leathery rind
• 11. Pathyakari : It is good for health
• 12. Vrittaphala : The fruits are some what round in shape.
• 13. Vathalaphala : The fruit is covered with leathery rind
• 14. Kuchaphala : The fruits are like the shape of breast.
• 15. Manibeeja : The seeds are like ruby
• 16.Rasalaka : Contains full of juice
• 17.Kumi : Cut to remove the seeds.

 

HABITAT

• It found throughout India.
• Wild in north –west region
• Pomegranate is drought-tolerate and can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterarian winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climate.

 

PROPERTIES

 

Rasa:

Kashaya , Amla , Madhura

Guna:

Lagu , Snigdha

Veerya:

Ushna

Vipaka:

Madhura or Amla

Doshagantha :

Tridoshahara

 

KARMA

Ch.Su.27

Hridaya

Grahi

Deepana

Vataghna

Su.Su.46

Ruchya

Vibandhana

A.H

Kasaghna, swasaghna

Tharpana

Balya

P.N

Thrishnanigraha

Jvara

Krimiroga

S.N

Chardinigrahana

K.N

RochanaMedhyahara

Kantasya rogaghna

R.N

Shramahara

B.P

Shukrala,Mukhadoshaghna

 

INDICATION

 

K.N

Raktapitta Rochana

Medhya

Tharpana

Jvara

Deepana

B.P

Megha roga

Sukrala

R.N

Sramahara

P.N

Krimiroga

Daha

Jvara

Thrishna

Balya

B.R Gulma

Pitharoga

Udara

Kshaya

A.H

Pandu

Arsas

 

PART USED

• Fruit

• Fruit rind

• Root bark

• Floral bud

 

DOSAGE

Fruit juice – 20 – 50 ml

Decoction – 40-80 ml

Rind or bark powder – 3-5 g

 

YOGAS

 

 

• Dadimashtakacurna
• Bhaskaralavana curna
• Dadimadi ghrta
• Dadimadi curna

 

CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION

Fruit peels – Tannin, Punicalin , Punicalagin

Seed – Estrone , Punicic acid

Stem – Malvidin , pentose glucosides, tannin. Ursolic acid.

 

THERAPEUTIC USES

• Upadamsa – Powder of Bankhuka leaves and Dadima bark

may be dusted over the scortum (B.P)

• Arsas – Ghee prepared with Dadima svarasa and

Yavaksara will check bleeding and pain(C.S.Ci.14)

• Puyameha – Fruit rind of Dadima is made as infusion and

Administered with sugar orally (S.B.M)

• Raktarsas – Dadima bark made into curna and given

internally with takra (C.S)

• Aruchi – Dadima svarasa along with saindhava lavana

(C.D)

• Bleeding from month -Bark made into curna and given with

honey.(H.S)

 

CULTIVATION

The pomegranate is native to the region of Persia and the western Himalayan range, and has been cultivated in India, Iraq, Afghanistan , Pakistan , Iran , Russia, and the Mediterrananean region for several millennia.

Punica granatum is grown as a fruit crop plant and as ornamental trees and shrubs in parks and gardens. Mutuxe specimens can develop sculptural twisted bark multi trunks & distinctive over all form. Pomegranate and drought tolerate and can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates. In wetter areas, they can be prone to root decay from fungal diseases. They tolerate of moderate frost, down to – 10 deg C (14F).

 

RESEARCH STUDIES

• Anti bacterial activity of the extracts of bark, fruit, pulp, flowers

and leaves is reported (Chopra et.al.1960)

• Antifungal activity of the extracts of bark, fruits, pulp, flowers and leaves is reported (Charya et.al 1979)
• The alcoholic extract showed anthelmentic activity through inhibition of transformation of eggs to filariform larvae of Haemonchus contours (Vishwa prakas et.al 1980)
• Punica granatum extract in a dose of 1g orally increased pentabarbitone sleeping time may 27% in rats. The extract provided protection against castor oil induced diarrhea in rats. The relaxant effect was observed on isolated rabbit’s ileum and rat’s uterus

( Annual report, CCRAS 1978 -79).

Fruit skin given along with diet for 4 weeks to rats and guinea pigs showed antifertility effects. (Gujral et.al.1960)