The Sacred Fig or Peepal for Asthma, Diabetes and Infertility

The Peepal is a large evergreen tree with cordate shaped leaves. It is known as Ficus religiosa or sacred fig. The tree is a species of fig belonging to the Moraceae or the fig or mulberry family. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and south-west China. In India and Nepal, the Peepal is also known as the bodhi tree or ashwattha tree.

It can go up to the heights of 30 meters and its trunk sometimes becomes 3 meters in diameter. Its fruits are small like figs and are about 1 cm in diameter.

Species and Name

The Peepal Tree

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It is a species of the fig tree in the mulberry family and is also called boo tree or Bodhi tree or tree of wisdom, Indian moraceous tree. It resembles the banyan tree and is regarded as sacred by the Hindus and The Buddhists, The former believe that Lord Brahma created the universe under it, and for the latter Lord Buddha got enlightenment under its shade. Its scientific name is Ficus religiosa.

Habitat

It is found in the Indian subcontinent in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Indian neighborhood in China and Tibet.  

Contents 

It contains tannins, tannic acid, aspartic acid, flavonoids, steroids, vitamin K1, cardiac glycosides, arginine, serine, tyrosine, methionine, glycine, threonine, alanine, tryptophan etc.

Traditional medicinal uses

The peepal tree gives oxygen throughout the day for 24 hours, unlike other trees. It has great medicinal value and almost all parts of it including bark, leaves, shoots, fruit, seeds, and latex are used in traditional medicines. Its leaves are extensively used due to the numerous benefits. 

It is used in more than 50 physical diseases like asthma, diabetes, diarrhea, epilepsy, gastric problems, infectious and sexual disorders, and inflammatory problems.

The leaves serve as a wonderful laxative as well as a tonic for the body.

The leaves are especially used in jaundice. In case of jaundice, grind 3-4 fresh leaves and mix them with 250 ml water. Filter the extract and add a little candy sugar in it. Take it twice a day for 3-4 days. It helps to control the excessive amount of urine released during jaundice.

Health Benefits in Conventional Medicines

Snake Bite

In the case of snakebite, two tablespoons of the sap of leaves could be given thrice or four times after small intervals to reduce the effect of poison, till the medical help arrives.  

Sex Drives and Infertility

The powder of the fruits is used in traditional medicines to purify the blood, to treat infertility and to increases the sex drives. Grind equal amounts of the dry fruits of peepal and candy sugar and take two tablespoons of it every day in the morning with milk from the first day of menstruation up to the next cycle. It would be better if both husband and wife take it regularly. It strengthens the sperms and the uterus. 

Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic

The leaf extract acts as an analgesic or painkiller and is anti-inflammatory too. It can control arthritis and rheumatic pains.

Asthma

The intake of dry fruit powder and the powder of bark in equal parts gives relief in asthma.

Anti-convulsing

The extract of fruits has shown anticonvulsive effects caused due to electrical shocks and chemicals in laboratory tests and the further researches are underway.

Beauty

In beauty treatment, the paste of dry bark is also used to treat pimples and the fairness of skin is achieved by its face mask.

Insomnia

The leaf extracts have been found to be helpful in inducing deep sleep in insomnia.

Tooth Cleaning

Its fresh twig could be used to brush the teeth.It removes the stains and kills the bacteria.

Anti-microbial

The extract of leaves has anti-microbial properties and can control the growth of bacteria and fungi.

Wound healing

Rub the bark on pumice stone with little water and apply to treat burn injury, wounds, swelling, and skin eruption. The extract of leaves also heals the wounds. The excision and incision wounds healed faster as compared to the wounds treated without medicines.

Memory Improvement

The fruit extracts have been found to improve the memory in laboratory tests conducted by the researchers in behavior controlled environments created for amnesia.

Eyesores

The milk-like sap coming out of its leaves is used to cure sty and other eyesores.

Nose Bleeding

A few drops of the fresh sap put inside the nostrils stops the bleeding from the nose.

Cardiac Health

The extract reduces the cholesterol levels and is good for the overall health of the heart. It can treat heart disorders, control the heart palpitations and gives strength to the cardiac muscles.

Blisters

The sap of leaves and bark could be used to treat the blisters on feet and hands.

Blabbing

Take the powder of dry and ripe fruits with honey to cure blabbing, to remove the harshness and to make the voice sweet.

Diabetes

In researches, the extract of leaves has also shown results in decreasing the blood sugar levels and controls diabetes.