Bael

Bael, also known as Aegle marmelos, Indian quince, Madjo tree or Bengal quince, is a tree from the rue family (Rutaceae) and originally comes from India and Southeast Asia. It has been revered in Ayurvedic medicine for over 2000 years as an important medicinal plant. The fruit in particular, but also the bark, leaves, and roots, are put to a wide variety of medicinal uses. In Indian culture, Bael is moreover considered a tree of the gods, frequently planted at temples and closely associated with the god Shiva.

What benefits does Bael offer?

The fruit and other plant parts of Aegle marmelos are valued in traditional medicine for a wide variety of health applications. Current research findings support many of the anticipated effects and point to a broad range of potential actions. The results of the studies, which were published on the plant and are cited below, are as always to be viewed critically, as they are not readily transferable and more research is necessary before definitive conclusions can be drawn:

  • Digestive support: Bael is traditionally known for its effects on diarrhea, irritable bowel, and other gastrointestinal complaints. The unripe fruit is said to have an astringent effect, the ripe one a regulating and restorative effect. Studies likewise point to a positive effect on digestive complaints (1,2,3,4,5).
  • Anti-inflammation & antioxidation: The phytochemicals it contains have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which, according to studies, could protect cells from damage (4,6,7,8).
  • Blood sugar regulation: Studies indicate that extracts from the leaves can lower blood sugar levels and thus potentially have a supportive effect in diabetes (8,9).
  • Antimicrobial effects: In laboratory studies, Bael extracts show activity against various bacteria and fungi, which supports their traditional use for infections (6,8,10).
  • Anticarcinogenic effects: Various studies suggest that the active compounds in parts of the plant could have a positive effect on different parameters of various cancers, although many of these studies were conducted in animals (8,11,12,4).
  • Respiratory tract: In Ayurvedic medicine, Bael is also used for colds, coughs, and asthma, as it has expectorant and calming effects.

How does Bael work?

The health-promoting effects of Bael can, to all appearances, be traced back to various active constituents in the parts of the plant. Worth mentioning here are marmelosin, aegeline, tannins, mucilages, pectins and lignans. These substances can potentially act synergistically on the digestive tract, the immune system, and the metabolism (4,8).

Side effects and risks

Despite its many positive properties, Bael should be used responsibly and in consultation with medical professionals.

  • Digestive disturbances: Excessive intake can lead to digestive complaints such as diarrhea or constipation.
  • Blood sugar: When taken together with antidiabetic medication, blood sugar levels may drop too sharply.
  • Pregnancy: During pregnancy, use should only take place in consultation with a physician, especially with highly concentrated extracts

Conclusion

Aegle marmelos is a time-honored medicinal plant with a broad spectrum of effects – especially in the areas of digestion, blood sugar regulation, and immune defense. Its versatility makes it a firm fixture of Ayurvedic healing. Many traditional uses are now supported by studies; however, as with many other plants, more research is still necessary before definitive conclusions can be drawn.

Sources:

  1. Mazumder R, Bhattacharya S, Mazumder A, Pattnaik AK, Tiwary PM, Chaudhary S. Antidiarrhoeal evaluation of Aegle marmelos (Correa) Linn. root extract. Phytother Res. 2006;20(1):82–84. doi: 10.1002/ptr.1804.
  2. Gutiérrez SP, Sánchez MA, González CP, García LA. Antidiarrhoeal activity of different plants used in traditional medicine. Afr J Biotechnol. 2007;6(25):2988–2994.
  3. Brijesh S, Daswani P, Tetali P, Antia N, Birdi T. Studies on the antidiarrhoeal activity of Aegle marmelos unripe fruit: validating its traditional usage. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2009;9(1):47. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-9-47.
  4. Rahman, S., & Parvin, R. (2014). Therapeutic potential of Aegle marmelos (L.)-An overview. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease, 4(1), 71–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2222-1808(14)60318-2
  5. Sharma GN, Dubey SK, Sati N, Sanadya J. Ulcer healing potential of Aegle marmelos fruit seed. Asian J Pharm Life Sci. 2011;1(2):172–178.
  6. Dhankhar S, Ruhil S, Balhara M, Dhankhar S, Chhillar A. Aegle marmelos (Linn.) Correa: A potential source of phytomedicine. J Med Plant Res. 2011;5(9):1497–1507.
  7. Benni JM, Jayanthi M, Suresha R. Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of Aegle marmelos (Bilwa) root. Indian J Pharmacol. 2011;43(4):393–397. doi: 10.4103/0253-7613.83108.
  8. Monika, S., Thirumal, M., & Kumar, P. R. (2023). Phytochemical and biological review of Aegle marmelos Linn. Future science OA, 9(3), FSO849. https://doi.org/10.2144/fsoa-2022-0068
  9. Abdallah IZA, Salem IS, Abd El-Salam NAS. Evaluation of Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Activity of Aegle marmelos L. Correa Fruit Extract in the Diabetic Rats. Egypt. J. Hosp. Med. 67(2), 731–741 (2017).
  10. Balakumar S, Rajan S, Thirunalasundari T, Jeeva S. Antifungal activity of Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa (Rutaceae) leaf extract on dermatophytes. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2011;1(4):309–312. doi: 10.1016/S2221-1691(11)60049-X.
  11. Seemaisamy R, Faruck LH, Gattu S et al. Anti Microbial and Anti Cancer activity of Aegle marmelos and Gas Chromatography Coupled Spectrometry Analysis of their Chemical Constituents. Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Res. 10(1), 373–380 (2019).
  12. Akhouri V, Kumari M, Kumar A. Therapeutic effect of Aegle marmelos fruit extract against DMBA induced breast cancer in rats. Sci. reports. 10(1), 18016 (2020).