Orange Berry (പാണല്‍ )

Glycosmis pentaphylla (പാണല്‍ )

Glycosmis pentaphylla is a species of flowering plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae, known commonly as orangeberry andgin berry. It occurs in India (In Kerala) , Southeast Asia and northern Australia. It is cultivated for its edible pink fruits. In temperate zones, it can be cultivated indoors as a houseplant.

                      

                     

DESCRIPTION                         

         PLANT: Climbing shrub with dark brown woody stem.  
         LEAF : 5.5x2.5 cm, shining dark bluish green coloured, oblong-lanceolate, acute,  
                       hairless on both sides with short stalks.
       Slightly aromatic (smell like cinnamon)
         FLOWER:    Solitary reddish flowers, auxillary or terminal, 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter,    
                                 petal connate usually 6 in numbers.                           
       FRUIT/SEED: Fruit let stalk up to 5cm long, orange or scarlet when dry.

                        Scientific Name :  Glycosmis pentaphylla

Kingdom: Plantae

Order: Sapindales

Family: Rutaceae

Subfamily: Aurantioideae

Tribe: Clauseneae

Genus: Glycosmis

Species: G. pentaphylla

MEDICINAL USES:

Folkloric:

Leaves and root.
In Ayurveda Uvaria narum is used for the treatment of jaundice.
Root and leaves used in intermitted fevers, for the treatment of rheumatism, inflammation and skin diseases.
Decoction of the root bark is used to control fits at the time of delivery.

Studies:
The essential oil extracted from leaves shows good antibacterial activitie against Staphyloccus aureus, Lactobacillus fermentum and E coli
It shows significant hepatoprotective charectors against CCl4 induced liver damage.
The powdered root shows remarkable degree of anti oxidant characters.

LOCAL NAMES: 

NAARUM PANNEL, KUREEL(Malayalam)
 VALEESHAKHOTA, PULIKKAN, PULICHAN(Tamil)
PANDEL(Tulu)
KARIBALLI, BUGADEE HOO,BUGADEE BALLI (Kannada)
NEELA VALLI (Sanskrit)
GUNVAARA, KALA APKARA.