It is true that Hindus honor all the trees but some particular trees and plants are considered sacred and have been worshiped over thousands of years.
Some of the examples are Peepal Tree (Ficus religiosa) and Audumbar Tree (Ficus racemosa). These two trees are 24-hour oxygen generators and cannot be planted manually. They grow on their own mainly through the birds, which eat their fruits. Audumbar tree is associated with Guru Dattatreya, one of main Hindu deities and cutting or dishonoring the tree in any way is considered as a sin. Both of these trees are very important for ecological balance. So by associating them with Hindu deities, they have been protected, so that no one would cut them.
Quick facts about Peepal or Ficus religiosa Linn
Nomenclature
Nomenclature
- Sanskrit name: Ashwatha, Pippala
- English name: Peepal tree, Sacred fig
- Hindi or common name: Pipal, pipli, pipar
- Scientific name: Ficus religiosa Linn
Bio-energetics
- Rasa: Kashaya
- Guna: Guru, Ruksha
- Viyra: Seeta
- Vipaka: Katu
- Dosha: Reduces Kapha and Pitta and balances Vata
- Karma: Varnya, Kaphapittavinashi, Sangrahi, Bhagnasandhanakara, Mutrala
Habitat
Peepal tree is native to the Indian sub-continent. It can also be seen in Tibet and China as well. It is a large evergreen tree which can reach heights up to 30 meters. The trunk of the tree can be up to 3 meters in diameter. The leaves are shaped cordate and the fruits are small figs which are just about 1 cm in diameter.
Peepal tree is native to the Indian sub-continent. It can also be seen in Tibet and China as well. It is a large evergreen tree which can reach heights up to 30 meters. The trunk of the tree can be up to 3 meters in diameter. The leaves are shaped cordate and the fruits are small figs which are just about 1 cm in diameter.
Chemical Constituents
Almost all parts of the tree such as bark, leaves, shoots, fruit, seeds and latex are used for medicinal purposes. Some of the chemicals found in Peepal tree include tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides. Other bio-chemicals include bergapten, bergaptol, lanosterol, B-sitosterol, stigmasterol, lupen-3-one, B-sitosterol-d-glucoside, vitamin K1, leucocyanidin-3-0-B-D-glucopyrancoside, leucopelargondin-3-0-B-D-glucopyranoside, leucopelargonidin-3-0-A-L-rhamnopyranoside, lupeol, ceryl behenate, lupeol acetate, A-amyrin acetate, leucoanthocyanidin, leucoanthocyanin, campestrol, stigmasterol, isofucosterol, A-amyrin, tannic acid, arginine, serine, aspartic acid, glycine, threonine, alanine, proline, tryptophan, tyrosine, methionine, valine, isoleucine and leucine, etc.
Almost all parts of the tree such as bark, leaves, shoots, fruit, seeds and latex are used for medicinal purposes. Some of the chemicals found in Peepal tree include tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides. Other bio-chemicals include bergapten, bergaptol, lanosterol, B-sitosterol, stigmasterol, lupen-3-one, B-sitosterol-d-glucoside, vitamin K1, leucocyanidin-3-0-B-D-glucopyrancoside, leucopelargondin-3-0-B-D-glucopyranoside, leucopelargonidin-3-0-A-L-rhamnopyranoside, lupeol, ceryl behenate, lupeol acetate, A-amyrin acetate, leucoanthocyanidin, leucoanthocyanin, campestrol, stigmasterol, isofucosterol, A-amyrin, tannic acid, arginine, serine, aspartic acid, glycine, threonine, alanine, proline, tryptophan, tyrosine, methionine, valine, isoleucine and leucine, etc.
Health Benefits
- Controls diabetes: In India, diabetes is a disease of serious concern because of the fact that increasingly many people are being diagnosed of this disease. Studies are shedding light on the possible use of peepal extracts in diabetes. Diabetes induced rats showed a significant drop in the blood glucose levels after being administered with peepal extracts. Apart from glucose levels, even cholesterol levels had also been controlled.
- Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties: The leaf extracts of peepal contain anti-inflammatory as well as analgesic properties which are effective in controlling rheumatic pains and arthritis.
- Anti-convulsant properties: Studies on peepal fruit extracts indicate that they possess convulsion preventive properties. This was tested on lab rats which were given electric shocks along with picrotoxin and pentylenetetrazol chemicals. Final results showed that peepal fruit extracts had reduced convulsions resulting from the electrical shocks and chemicals. The extracts were also helpful in inducing deep sleep on the subjects.
- Anti-microbial properties: The leaf extracts of Peepal were studied for their anti-microbial properties. Studies showed control of various bacteria and fungi such as Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger.
- Wound healing properties: The leaf extracts of Peepal showed wound healing properties. Wounds like excision and incision wounds healed faster when test subjects were given the leaf extracts compared to test subjects which were not given any medicine.
- Helpful in amnesia: In behaviour controlled environments for amnesia induced rats, fig extracts of peepal were investigated for their possible role in improving the memory of the subjects. Results showed significant improvement in rats which were given fig extracts, suggesting a positive relationship between amnesia control and peepal figs.
