PunicaGranatum01

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Local names: Dalim (Assami), Dalim (Bengali), Shiliu, Shiliupi (Chinese), Granatæble (Danish), Granaatappel (Dutch), Granaattiomena (Finnish), Grenade (French), Granatapfel (German), Ródi (Greek), Gránátalma (Hungarian), Granatepli (Icelandic), Melogranate, Melograne (Italian), Anaar (Pahlawi), Anar (Punjabi), Rodie (Romanian), Granatnik, Granat (Russian), Darimba, Madhubiija (Sanskrit), Granada (Spanish), Komamanga, Kudhumani (Swahili), Granatäpple (Swedish), Nar (Turkish).

Is a tree that grows to about fifteen to twenty feet tall. The fruits are well known and popular to eat: the orange and red flowers are very attractive. This plant grows better in a southern climate with a longer growing season. Trees planted in Canada (West coast) will grow slowly, flower beautifully, but the fruit doesn't have a chance to mature properly unless grown in a green house.

Medicinal properties: Sap, when decocted from the bark contains an alkaloid similar to Hemlock, and is used for the expulsion of tapeworm. The decoction is taken, followed by a purgative such as castor oil or olive oil. The fruit of the pomegranate also has medicinal properties. The rind, when dried has astringent properties and is used to treat diarrhea and dysentery.

The 'Pomegranate' has traditionally been regarded as a symbol of fertility. In India, the pomegranate is upheld for its sacred value. The leaves or flowers are offered to Lord Ganapati, Lord Satyanarayana and Lord Samba on Shree Sankastha Vrata and Nitya Somavara Vrata respectively.
The following are ways you can use Anar in your homes and communities;

Conjunctivitis: Prepare a paste from the green leaves of the plant by washing and grinding on a stone grinder, then apply to the eyes.

Diarrhea: About 3 inches of bark is put into 4 cups of water which is boiled, reduced to 1 cup and then strained and taken. Dosage: Half a cup in the morning and then again in the evening till cured. Alternatively prepare a decoction of fruit peel. Roast the fruit, crush and then take out the juice.

Vomiting: Half a cup of pomegranate leaves are crushed, put in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes and then drunk. Dosage: 1 cup once only.

Dysentery: A combination of rind of fruit and bark is an efficacious remedy, to be taken internally. Also the juice of the pulp is advised. The rind and bark can be prepared by grinding into a paste and making an infusion, which is filtered before consuming.

Intestinal Worms: Ripe fruit skin is dried in the shade and then crushed to prepare a fine powder obtained by straining through a muslin cloth. Dosage: 1 teaspoon of the powder is taken with water in the morning and evening for 3 days. Or fresh bark, 1 part fresh bark with 20 parts of water, boil till reduces till half, filter, five ml half hourly four times on an empty stomach and then give castor oil.

Weakness: The fruit pulp is crushed in a cloth and juice obtained. To 1 cup of juice, 2 cups of sugar are added. This is boiled to a thick syrup consistency. Dosage: 2 teaspoons of the syrup are taken in the morning and evening until cured.

Abscess: A 3 inch long strip of bark is rubbed on a stone to make a paste. The paste is applied in the morning and evening until cured.

Astringent; The plant has a cooling effect on the body and is thus good for relieving burning sensations.

The edible portion, which is 64 per cent of the whole fruit, contains 69.5 per cent moisture and 64.8 per cent extractable juice. The total soluble solids content of the juice is 15.5 per cent. The acidity and the pectin content of the fruit juice is 5.53 and 0.06 per cent respectively. The edible portion contains 10.01 per cent total sugars, 8.87 per cent reducing sugars and 1.08 per cent non-reducing sugars. The proportion of vitamin C is 36.62 mg per 100 ml of juice. The tannin content of the edible part is insignificant; however, it was 9.33 per cent in the rind. The protein content of the edible part is 2.57 per cent.

The total minerals content of the edible portion, as represented by its ash, is 1.491 per cent. The percentage content of some of the mineral elements viz., phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron is 0.104, 0.473, 0.031, 0.132 and 0.0046 respectively.

Utilization: 'The major use of wild pomegranate is for the making of anardana, which is used in making chutney and as a souring agent in various preparations. The price of anardana in Solan market, which is an important canter for this product, is up to Rs. 20.00 per kg.

According to Dastur (1964), the dried rind yields a fast yellow dye, which is used for dying cloth and for making a hair dye.

Kasachava et al (1973) have shown that the fruit rind contains 30 per cent tannins which can be successfully used in combination with synthetic tannis for tanning leather. Dastur (1964) reported that root bark contained 22 per cent of tannins which could be used for tanning and dying leather and also making jet-black ink.