The New Nation - Internet Edition

Jamayet Ali

Hog plum (Amra) is a small, aromatic deciduous tree, found wild or cultivated almost throughout Bangladesh. It is said to be wild mango because of its mango-like smell. The fruit, which ripens in October-November when largest, is of the size of a goose's egg, of a rich olive green colour, mottled with yellow and black. It has but little scent. The part nearest the rind is extremely acid, but, that being removed, the part near the stone is sweet and eatable. It is sometimes eaten raw when ripe, but more commonly it is put, while green, in fish or vegetable curries, or in lentils, to give these dishes the acid taste so much appreciated by natives. The stone easily germinates during the rainy season .This fruit is not only popular to the people but also favourite to animals. Cattle, deer, monkeys, squirrels greedily and eagerly feed on the fruit. It grows in regions where the maximum temperature in shade ranges from 38 to 48º and the rainfall between 75 and 375 cm. or more. The tree is a light- demander but sensitive to frost. The plant is artificially propagated either through seed or from cuttings Sowing the seeds directly in the field gives better results than transplanting, provided the stones are covered with earth. However, basket-raised seedlings transplant better.

Botanical name of Amra is Spondias pinnata Linn. It grows widely in Bangladesh, India, Srilanka, Myanmar, Hong kong and other tropical countries. It is used as a condiment and can be made into chutneys, stews and jams. It is also made into a pickle with mustard oil, salt and chillies. The edible portion of the fruit gave, on analysis, the following values: moisture, 83.2; mineral matter, 0.6; fibre, 1.0; calorie, 66 ( kilo ); protein, 1.1; fat, 0.1; carbohydrate, 15.0gms. calcium, 55; iron, 3.9; carotene, 800µ; phosphorus, 11.0; vitamin B-1, 0.28; vitamin B-2, 0.04; and vitamin C, 92mg/100g.

The sapwood is white or grayish white; the heartwood is roseate-grey. The wood is dull, straight-grained, very coarse-textured, and not strong. The timber seasons without cracking, splitting or warping. It can be kiln-seasoned readily and stain can be avoided provided it is directly dealt with after conversion. If air-seasoned, the logs should be converted when green and the sawn stock open- piled under cover. The timber rapidly perishes in the open and is not of much value but it is moderately durable under cover. It is quickly attacked by whiteants, but is not subject to borer attack, unless left in the logs. It can probably be treated without difficulty. It can be polished, but absorbs much polish. The wood is employed for packing-cases and tea-chests and for floats, canoes or boats. It is suitable for match splints, but not for match boxes and for non-ornamental plywood. The wood is fairly good for un bleached woodpulp, but is slightly inferior to the best woods in bleaching power. It is used as a, though of poor quality. A mild insipid gum, some what resembling gum Arabic, but darker in colour, exudes from the bark. It occurs in stalactiform pieces of a yellowish or reddish brown colour, and with a smooth shining surface. with a large volume of water it forms a gelatinous mucilage, which is precipitated by acetate of lead, gelatinized by the basic acetate and by ferric chloride, but not by borax (Dictionary of the economic products of India, Hog plum, 339).

Medicinal Properties: The fruit is astringent and antiscorbutic. It is stated to be useful in bilious dyspepsia. It is eaten either green or dry as an antidote for wounds caused by poisonous arrows. The juice is applied in earache. The plant is reported to have anti-tubercular properties (Wehmer, II, 704; Roychowdhury, J. Instn Chem. India, 1963, 35, 202; Kirt. & Basu, II, 674; Chopra, 1958, 601).

The bark is aromatic, astringent and refrigerant. It is useful in dysentery and diarrhoea, and is also given to prevent vomiting. A paste of it is used as an embrocation for both articular and muscular rheumatism. A decoction of the bark is stated to given in gonorrhhoea. The bark is used for tanning. The root is considered useful in regulating menstruation (Hooper, Argic. Ledger, No. 1, 1902, 22; Bressers, 32; Burkill, II, 2068).

The tree exudes a mild, insipid, yellowish or reddish-brown, stalactiform gum with smooth, shining surface, resembling gum Arabic, except being darker. It forms a gelatinous mucilage with water but is not wholly soluble. It is used as a demulcent and for the purpose of fumigation. The gum is sometimes employed as an adhesive (Gamble, 223; Howes, 1949, 59; Nadkarni, II, 1166, 67; Benthall, 133).

The leaves are aromatic, acidic and astringent. They are used for flavouring. Their juice is in earache. The flowers are sour and eaten as such, made into a curry, or used as a flavouring (Benthall, 132, 33; Rama Rao, 103; Burkill, II, 2068; Gupta, 150).

The leaves are tasty, appetizing, astringent. The unripe fruit is sour, indigestible, hot; destroys "vata"; enriches the blood; cures rheumatism; good for sore throat. The rpipe is acrid, sweet, oily, pleasant to the taste; indigestible, refrigerant, tonic, aphrodisiac, astringent to the bowels; cures "vata", biliousness, ulcers, burning sensation, phthisis, blood complaints (Ayurveda).

The bark enters into the composition of a large number of prescriptions recommended for the treatment of snake-bite (Bapat). The bark is refrigerant medicine. It has been found useful in dysentery.

Among the Mundas the bark, ground and mixed with water, is rubbed on in both articulart and muscular rheumatism. A handful of the bark is pounded and infused in a pint of water; after straining, this is drunk against diarrhoea or dysentery, either all in one draught, or half of it, the reaminder being taken later (Encyclopaedia mundarica).

The juice of the leaves is used for earache. The fruit is useful antiscorbutic. The pulp is acid and astringent, and is used in biliousdyspepsia. The bark is not an antidote to snake-venom (Mhaskar and Caius). (Indian Medicinal Plants, Kirtikar B.D. Basu, Vol. II, 674).

Medicine: The pulp of the fruit is described by Sanskrit writers as acid and astringent, and useful in bilious dyspepsia, for which reason the name of Pittavriksha or "bile tree" is sometimes applied to it. The fruit is much used as an acid vegetable, and is made into a preparation resembling gooseberry which is called rayete. The leaves and bark are astringent and aromatic, and are administered in dysentery. The gum is used as a demulcent (Dymock). The juice of the leaves applied locally in earache (Atkinson). By some of the Shan tribes in Burma the fruit is considered an antidote for wounds from poisoned arrows, and for this purpose is eaten either green or dry. When that cannot be obtained, alum is considered the next best remedy, a fact which would seem to indicate that astringents counteract the effects of these wounds on the system (Mason, Burma & Its people).

Special Opinions: " 'Amra' " is a useful antiscorbutic. I use it both in its green and ripe state in curries for the prisoners" (Surgeon R.L. Dutt, M.D., Pabna) (Dictionary of the economic products of India, hog plum, 339).