Peepal
Botanical Name: Ficus religiosa
Indian Name: Peepal
Venerated by the Hindus and the Buddhists. The rishis
of yore meditated under it. It was
beneath a peepal that Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment, and that,
particular tree came
to be called Bodhi, the `tree of wisdom'. In the popular Indian folkore,
the peepal is
considered as the female to the male banyan.
The
bark and leaves of peepal are useful in many common ailments. Its leaves
are laxative and a tonic.
They relieve feverish feeling and produce a feeling of coolness. They
are also useful in arresting
secretion or bleeding about 50 ml of raw juice of the leaves or 1 teaspoon
of powdered dried
leaves can be taken with water in such cases.
A
popular remedy for excessive urine output amongst jaundice patients is
to soak a piece of tender bark of the peepal in water overnight and allow
the water to be taken the following morning.
Heart
Diseases
The leaves of the peepal are used in the treatment of heart diseases.
They are infused in water at night, distilled the next morning and then
stored in white bottles. About 15 mg of this infusion is administered
thrice daily. It is highly effective in relieving palpitation of the heart
and cardiac weakness.
Constipation
The leaves of the tree are useful in constipation. They should be dried
in the shade and powdered. Pills can be prepared by adding the required
quantity of a solution of anise and jaggery with water. One pill taken
with warm milk at bedtime ensures proper bowel movement the following
morning. Its fruits can be dried in shade, powdered and mixed with an
equal quantity of sugar. This compound in doses of 4 to 6 grams, taken
at bedtime with milk, serves the same function.
Dysentery
Its leaves are very effective in treating dysentery. Equal parts of tender
leaves, coriander leaves and sugar are chewed slowly to relieve the condition.
Bruises
Its leaves are also useful in bruises and wounds. They are ground fine,
mixed with 25 grams of jaggery and made into 8 pills. One pill taken daily
with milk can also relieve pain due to injury.
Scrofula
In Ayurueda, a peepal grown on a cemented wall, with its roots still in
the masonry and not reaching the ground is a specific for scrofula a serious
disease of the neck, characterised by swollen lymphatic glands of the
region. A plaster like paste prepared by rubbing its root with water can
be applied on the glands of the affected people.
Mumps
Peepal leaves are used in the treatment of mumps. They should be smeared
with ghee, warmed over a fire, and bandaged over the inflamed part to
get relief.
Boils
The leaves are also used in boils. A leaf smeared with ghee can be bandaged
lukewarm on the boil. If there is any pus formation, it will burst, if
it is in preliminary stages, the growth will subside.
