Medicinal benefits of custard apple (sitaphal)

All of us are well acquainted with the custard apple. When I read a Whatsapp message ‘Chew two leaves of the custard apple tree daily’ I felt bad. Only those who are well versed in Ayurveda and Ayurvedic medicinal plants should give information on ayurvedic medicines and not anybody. Here I am enumerating the medicinal benefits of custard apple.

Never eat a mixture of fruit and
milk or fruit and milk one after the other

Today milk shakes with any kind of fruit are common. Though these drinks give instant energy, from the viewpoint of physical health they are extremely deleterious. If you consume milk and fruit together then you are bound to suffer from ailments of digestion and skin sooner or later. If you drink milk immediately after eating custard apple then you will most certainly suffer from ailments due to phlegm (kapha).

1. Leaves

1 A. Wounds

Once a person asked me how to treat the wound of his calf. I advised him to crush a few custard apple leaves (having medicinal properties), add turmeric powder to it and to apply that paste without adding water to it, to the wound for consecutive 3 to 4 days. Three days later he returned back with the calf whose wound had healed to thank me.

1 B. Fainting attacks

The stress has effects on our brain and head. Some people get fainting attacks due to unbearable stress. If custard apple leaves are crushed and held close to the nostrils of the victim then he immediately regains consciousness.This is especially useful when onion is not available as it gives relief.

1 C. Ringworm

When patients from rural areas consult me for treatment of ringworm, I give them my medicinal powder mixed with juice of custard apple leaves for local application and they get relief within 3 to 4 days.

1 D. Prolapse of the rectum

Once a patient in his seventies consulted me for this problem. I gave him some medicines from my stock, explained restrictions and advised a home remedy. Prepare a concoction by boiling 2 to 3 custard apple leaves in a cup of water. Reduce to half a cup. When boiling, do not cover the vessel. To half the cup add half teaspoon of honey and consume twice a day. I also asked him to apply ‘shatadhaut ghrut’ on the anal opening (available in an Ayurvedic pharmacy.) Before the course of medicine finished, the patient returned to inform me that his condition had improved markedly.

2. Leaves and seeds

For Hair lice and their eggs

Seeds and leaves of the custard apple are used to kill lice and its eggs. Prepare a fine paste of custard apple leaves in the blender and apply it to the hair. Mix powder of its seeds with gram lentil flour and wash hair to kill lice and its eggs. Ensure when doing both procedures that this paste does not enter the eyes because it causes distress.

3. The custard apple (fruit)

3 A. Fever

Fever induced by an increase in bile (pitta) can be treated with a custard apple. However, this should not be eaten in the morning. Give it to small children cautiously.

3 B. For excessive thirst

Eat custard apple if you have excessive thirst.

Vaidya Vilas Jagannath Shinde, Jijai Ayurved Chikitsalay, Khalapur, Raigad (15.10.2019)