Medicinal value of Bael, Aegle marmelos

Aegle marmelos is a species of tree native to India. It is present throughout southeast Asia as a naturalized species. The tree is considered to be sacred by Hindus. Its fruits are used in traditional medicine and as a food throughout its range. All parts of the herb (leaves, fruits, roots) are used for medicinal purposes. Bael is the only member of the monotypic genus Aegle. It is a mid-sized, slender, aromatic, armed, gum-bearing tree growing up to 18 meters tall. It has a leaf with three leaflets. It has a reputation in India for being able to grow in places that other trees cannot. It copes with a wide range of soil conditions (pH range 5–10), is tolerant of water logging and has an unusually wide temperature tolerance (from -7 to 48°C). It requires a pronounced dry season to give fruit. The Bael fruit has a smooth, woody shell with a green, gray or yellow peel. It takes about 11 months to ripen on the tree and can reach the size of a large grapefruit or pomelo and some are even larger. The shell is so hard that it must be cracked with a hammer or machete. The fibrous yellow pulp is very aromatic. It has been described as tasting of marmalade and smelling of roses. The fruit is eaten fresh or dried. If fresh, the juice is strained and sweetened to make a drink similar to lemonade. In the system of Ayurveda this drug finds several and frequent therapeutic uses in different forms and recipes. They are prescribed in a number of diseases such as gastro-intestinal diseases, piles, oedema, jaundice, vomiting, obesity, pediatric disorders, gynecological disorders, urinary complaints and as a rejuvenative. Besides the wide medicinal utility the plant and its certain parts (leaves and fruits) are of religious importance since the tree is regarded as one of the sacred trees of Indian heritage. The fruit is also used in religious rituals. Research has found the essential oil of the Bael tree to be effective against 21 types of bacteria.