Pipal

Botanical Name 

 Ficus religiosa L , Family :- Moraceae.

Synonyms

 Ficus caudata Stokes, Ficus peepul Griff., Ficus rhynchophylla Steud., Ficus superstitiosa Link, Urostigma religiosum (L.) Gasp.

Regional Name 

 English : Pipal tree , Hindi : Pipala, Pipal , Sanskrit : Pippala , Punjabi : Pipal, Pippal, Assamese : Ahant , Bengali : Asvattha, Ashud, Ashvattha , Gujrati : Piplo, Jari, Piparo, Pipalo ,  Kashmiri : Bad , Malayalam : Arayal, Marathi : Pipal, Pimpal, Pippal , Oriya : Aswatha , Tamil : Ashwarthan, Arasamaram, Arasan, Arasu, Arara , Telugu : Ravichettu.

Part Used

 Fruit & Leaf.

Description

Pipal is a large perennial tree, glabrous when young, found throughout the plains of India up to 170 m altitudes in the Himalayas, largely planted as an avenue and roadside tree, especially near temples. Bark occurs in flat or slightly curved pieces, varying from 1.0-2.5 cm or more in thickness, outer surface brown or ash-colored, surface uneven due to exfoliation of cork, inner surface smooth, and somewhat brownish, fracture, fibrous, taste, astringent.

Phytoconstituents

 Pipal Contains Tannins, steroids, alkaloids and flavonoids, β-sitosteryl-D-glucoside, vitamin K, n-octacosanol, methyl oleanolic, lanosterol, stigmasterol

Ayurvedic Properties 

Rasa : Kasaya , Guna : Guru, Ruksa, Virya : Sita , Vipaka : Katu , Karma : Varnya, Kaphapittavinasi, Sangrahi, Bhagnasandhanakara, Mutrasa ngrahaniya.

Ayurvedic Applications

 Prameha, Raktapitta, Vrana, Vatarakta, Yonidosa.

Medicinal Uses

 Pipal is used in the treatment of diarrhea, diabetes, epilepsy, inflammatory disorders, and gastric problems, sexual and infectious disorders. The leaves and the bark are used for controlling dysentery and diarrhea.