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Nuga |
| Vernacular Name: Sinhala: Nuga; Eng: Banyan, | |
| Description: A very large tree up to 30 m in height with widely spreading branches bearing many aerial roots functioning as prop roots, bark greenish white, leaves simple, alternate, often in clusters at ends of branches, stipulate, 10-20 cm long and 5-12.5 cm broad, broadly elliptic to ovate, entire, coriaceous, strongly 3-7 ribbed from the base; the fruit receptacles are axillary, sessile, in pairs, globose, brick-red when ripe, enclosing male, female and gall flowers; fruits small, crustaceous achenes, enclosed in the common fleshy receptacles. | |
| Propagation: By seeds and vegetative method. | |
| Parts Used: Aerial root, bark, leaves, buds, fruits, latex. | |
| Chemical
Constituents: Bengalenoside and the
flavonoid glycosides, leucocyanidin 3-p- D-galactosyl cellobioside 5,3’-dimethyl ether and leucopelargonidin-3-0-a-L-rhamnoside 5,7-dimethyl ether, leucopelargonidin glycoside leucocyanidin glycoside. |
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| Uses: All parts of the plant are astringent, acrid, sweet, refrigerant, anodyne, vulnerary, depurative, anti-inflammatory, ophthalmic, styptic, antiarthritic, diaphoretic, antidiarrhoeal, antiemetic and tonic. The aerial roots are useful in obstinate vomiting and leucorrhoea and are said to be used in osteomalacia of the limbs. The bark is useful in burning sensation, haemoptysis, haemorrhages, diarrhoea, dysentery, diabetes, enuresis, ulcers, skin diseases, gonorrhoea, leucorrhoea and hyperdipsia. The leaves are good for ulcers, leprosy, allergic conditions of skin, burning sensation and abscesses. The buds are useful in diarrhoea and dysentery. The fruits are refrigerant and tonic and are useful in vitiated condition of pitta. The latex is useful in neuralgia, rheumatism, lumbago, bruises, nasitis, ulorrhagia, ulitis, odontopathy, haemorrhoids, gonorrhoea, inflammations, cracks of the sole and skin diseases. | |
