MELIA AZEDARACH LINN.

Common name: Chinaberry tree, Persian lilac, Pride of India, Bead tree, Lilac tree • Hindi: Bakain बकैन • Manipuri: Seizrak • Marathi: Bakan-nimb बकाणनिंब • Bengali: Bakarjam • Tamil: காட்டு வேம்பூ Kattu vembhu

Botanical name:   Melia azedarach   

Family: Meliaceae (Neem family)

Synonyms: Melia azedarach var. japonica, Melia toosendan

Geographical distribution

The plant occurs throughout India in tropical and subtropical regions and also planted along roadsides

Introduction: The Persian lilac tree is frequently confused with Neem. However, the structure of the leaves and the color of the flowers, white in Neem and lilac in Persian lilac, are sufficient to distinguish between the two. A large evergreen tree native to India, growing wild in the sub-Himalayan region. In India, Muslims are credited with the spread of the tree. The bark is reddish brown, becoming fissured on mature trees. The deciduous leaves are bipinnate (twice feather-like) and 1-2 ft long. The individual leaflets, each about 2 in long and less than half as wide, are pointed at the tips and have toothed edges. In spring and early summer, Persian lilac produces masses of purplish, fragrant, star shaped flowers, each about 3/4 in in diameter, that arch or droop in 8 in panicles. They are followed by clusters of spherical, yellow fruits about 3/4 in in diameter that persist on the trees even after the leaves have fallen. All parts of Persian lilac tree are poisonous. Eating as few as 6 berries can result in death. Birds that eat too many seeds have been known to become paralyzed.

Medicinal uses:  Bark and fruit extract is used to kill parasitic roundworms. In Manipur, leaves and flowers are used as poultice in nervous headache. Leaves, bark and fruit are insect repellant. Seed-oil is used in rheumatism. Wood-extract is used in asthma.

Chemical composition

The bark contain ajwaridin and parosin. The fruit contain bakayanin, azaridin (mardgocin, stero), banning glucose and starch.

Therapeutic uses

The leaves are antilithic, diuretic and emmenagogue; their juice is given in one to two gm. doses. In leprosy and scrofula; the leaves and the bark are useful, a decoction of the leaves is given in doses of 10-20 ml. The bark of the stem is anthelmintic, stimulant and antispasmodic.

Folk medicinal uses

The leaf juice is applied for resolving cold swellings. A poultice of the leaves is used locally in nervous headache. Decoction of the root bark is given to children in doses 10 ml at an interval of three hours till the worm is expelled. A paste of the flowers is used to kill head lice and for eruptive skin diseases.

Flowers: March-May

Fruits: May-July