Family: Oxalidaceae Genus: Averrhoa carambola

MEDICINAL USES OF CARAMBOLA

Carambola is a handsome evergreen plant growing upto a height of 9 metres with close drooping branches. This tree bears five angled fruits green to yellow in color.

According to Ayurveda, the raw fruit is astringent to bowels. It heats the body and causes biliousness. The ripe fruit is digestible, tonic and strengthening. The ripe fruit also causes biliousness in the body.

The juice of fruit, when used as eye drop, is also considered to be useful for vision.

The leaves are antipruritic, antipyretic and anthelmintic. They are useful in scabies, various types of poisoning, pruritus, intermittent fevers and intestinal worms.

According to the physicians of Yunnani system of medicine, the ripe fruit stops diarrhoea and vomiting. These fruits also allay thirst.

The ripe fruit is said to be a good remedy for bleeding piles, particularly the internal one. It is also useful in relieving thirst and febrile excitement.

The dried fruit is given in some parts of India in fevers. It has a cooling effect on the body. It reported to have anti scorbutic properties.

It is considered one of the best Indian cooling medicines.

In some countries of the South East Asia, the root of this plant is administered in poising. The leaves are employed in the treatment of scabies. These are also anthelmintic. The fruit is considered anti scorbutic. It is given as a refrigerant in fevers.In Mauritius, the juice of carambola is given in dysentery and hepatic colic. A decoction is prescribed in bilious colic and diarrhoea.

By: Dr. Chiranjit Parmar
Horticultural Consultant on Lesser Known Indian Plants
www.lesserknownplants.com