Nutraceutical and medicinal values of minor fruits in Western Ghats of South India

Abstract

India figured with two hotspots the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas. Western Ghats are one of the centers with huge minor and underutilized edible fruit plant diversity. One of the great gifts of nature to mankind is fruit. A Good number of minor fruit crops are considered as medicinal plants in respect to its curative properties.They should be eaten in adequate quantity; regular consumption fruit reduces obesity malignance health increase the longevity of life. In recent years, there is considerable awareness about the delicious, medicinal value, nutritional security, food safety and used as a local diet. There is an immense scope and potentiality for exploiting the minor fruits for poverty alleviation and nutritional security particularly in the Western Ghats of south India. Aonla is high content of tannin i.e. gallotanic acid, which on hydrolysis yields gallic acid. Jamun fruits are used as an effective medicine against diabetes, heart, spleen, liver trouble, cancer, and inflammatory diseases. The bael fruit is very effective to cure dysentery, diarrhoea, restorative, laxative and good for heart and brain. Kokum juice exhibits anti-scorbutic, anthelmintic and cardiotonic properties.