Balanites aegyptiaca (Ingudi)

Brihat Trayi have quoted this of Tapasa vriksha. Sivadasa Sen described that Ingudi means fruit pulp of Putranjiva or fruit rind of Putranjiva. How ever it is very clear at present that Putranjiva (Putranjiva roxburghi) is entirely different plant from Ingudi (B. aegyptica).

It is spiny tree growing upto 6 m. bearing light greenish-white flowers.

Major Chemical Constituents–

Fruit- Balanitisines A,B,C,D & E, Seed Kernal- Balanitesin, Leaves- Nitogenin, diosgenin.

Part Used– Stem bark, fruit, seed oil.

Dosage– Decoction 50-100 ml, powder 3-6 g; fruit pulp 3-6 g; seed oil 5-10 drops.

Research–

(1) Fruit pulp extract on i.v. administration produced a triphasic response which consisted of initial brief fall, followed by brief rise and then prolonged fall in B.P. of anaesthetized dogs and cats. LD50 in mice was 5.89g/kg (oral) and 0.33g/kg (i.p.)- (J. Res. Ay. & Siddha 1986, 7,47).

(2) Aqueous extract of fruits showed spermicidal activity without local vaginal irritation in human upto concentration of 4%; sperms became sluggish on contract with plant extract and then immobile within 30sec, the effect was concentration-related (Ind.J.Pharmacol. 1990, 22, 262).