Lorenza Beatrice V.

Mendoza 3D-PH Group 6

I.

Plant Literature

A. Plant Name

Cucumber tree or Tree sorrel (English)

Kamias or Kalamias (Filipino) B. Scientific Name

Averrhoa bilimbi
C. Taxonomic Classification Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids

Order: Oxalidales Family: Oxalidaceae Genus: Averrhoa Species: A. bilimbi D. Botanical Description

Acconding to Bureau of Plant Industry, Kamias is a small tree, growing from 5 to 12 meters in height. The leaves are pinnate and 20 to 60 centimeters long, with hairy rachis and leaflets. The leaflets are opposite, 10 to 17 pairs, oblong, and 5 to 10 centimeters in length. The panicles growing from the trunk and larger branches, are hairy and 15 centimeters long or less. The flowers are about 1.5 centimeters long, and are somewhat fragrant. The calyx is hairy. The corolla is purple, often marked with white. The fruit is subcylindric or with 5, obscure, broad, rounded, longitudinal lobes, green, acid, edible and about 4 centimeters long.

E. Scientific Studies 1. Chemical Studies ABSTRACT 1

Hypoglycemic / Hypotriglyceridemic / Anti-Atherogenic / Anti-Lipid Peroxidative: Effects of Averrhoa bilimbi leaf extract on blood glucose and lipids in streptozotocin-diabetic rats: Study showed that AB extract has hypoglycemic, hypotriglyceridemic, anti-lipid peroxidative and anti-atherogenic properties in STZ-diabetic rats. Anti-diabetic: Study showed the aqueous fraction was more potent than the butanol fraction in the amelioration of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in a high fat diet-fed STZ diabetic rats and suggests the AF as the potential source for isolation of the active principle for oral antidiabetic therapy.
ABSTRACT 2

Antioxidant / Antimicrobial Activities: Antioxidant And Antimicrobial Activities Of Averrhoa carambola L. Fruits: The scavenging of NO by the extract was dependent on concentration and stage of ripening. Extracts showed antimicrobial activity against E coli, Salmonella typhi, staph aureus and bacillus cereus.
ABSTRACT 3

Phytochemicals / Antimicrobial: Phytochemical screening of fruit extracts yielded flavonoids, saponins and triterpenoids but no alkaloids. The chloroform and methanol fruit extracts were active againsxt Aeromonas hydrophilia, E coli, K pneumonia, S cerrevisiae, S aureus, Strep agalactiae and B subtilis. In conclusion, AB fruits possess potential antibacterial activities that warrants further studies.
2. Pharmacological Studies

ABSTRACT 1

Medicinally, kamias can be made into a paste and applied topically to itchy or swollen skin or skin affected by bug bites. In traditional Malay medicine, they create an infusion of the fruit and leaves to remedy a cough, as well as administer a tonic to women after they give birth. This infusion is also used on pimples, hypertension, dizziness and diabetes. Those in Indonesia use the kamias fruit as a treatment for fevers, inflammation, rectal bleeding, boils and other conditions. The flowers of the kamias are also used as a remedy for toothaches.

ABSTRACT 2

According to Kirtikar and Basu and Nadkarni, the fruit is astringent, stomachic, and refrigerant. It is used in piles.

The juice of the fruit made into a syrup form a cooling drink in fevers. It is antiscorbutic. This syrup is also used in some slight cases of haemorrhage from the bowels, stomach, and internal haemorrhoids. A conserve of the fruit is used in Java for beriberi, biliousness, and coughs.
ABSTRACT 3

Burkill and Haniff records that the leaves are used by the Malays externally as a paste applied hot to itches; and internally, fresh or fermented, for syphilis; or, in the form of infusion, as a protective medicine after childbirth. Heyne states that a decoction of the leaves is given in Java for inflammation of the rectum. The Japanese also apply a paste of them for mumps, rheumatism, and pimples. They use an infusion of the flowers for coughs and thrust.
References

http://www.livestrong.com/article/335054-nutritional-values-of-kamias-fruit/ http://www.foodrecap.net/recipe/make-kamias-benefits/ http://www.mixph.com/2009/07/growing-kamias-and-its-many-uses.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Averrhoa_bilimbi http://stuartxchange.com/Kamias.html