Karonda

Carissa Carandas is a small berry with white and pink colour known as Karonda in Hindi. The fruit becomes red when fully ripe. We usually find these berries in vegetable market. They are sour to taste and people often buy them to pickle or make chutney.  These small humble looking berry herbs have wonderful health benefits. They were extensively used in traditional medicine to heal even the cancerous wounds.

Karonda berries are enriched with iron component. You can add them to your regular diet to maintain good haemoglobin count.  At the same time it purifies the blood by removing impurities.

Benefits

• This berry contains Vitamin C that is good for the growth and repair of tissues in the body. Often it is used to cure scurvy.
• Karonda are liver friendly and prevent excessive secretion of bile by liver to prevent liver dysfunction.
• Karonda fruit contains essential analgesic and anti-pyretic properties that provide relief from pain, fever etc.
• Karonda has an Anthelmintic (anti-parasitic drug) impact   on the body which expels the parasitic worms.
• Fresh juice consumed daily about 10ml strengthens cardiac muscles. It works as a cardio tonic for the body as it regulates and optimises the heart functions to avoid heart diseases.

• Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, Karonda potentially prevents the occurrence of inflammation within the body.  It also protects the organs from internal bleeding.
• Cytotoxity is being toxic to cells. Owing to its cytotoxic characteristics, Karonda inhibits the growth of cancer and tumour cells, benefitting tumour and cancer patients.
• Being depressant in nature it acts as a drug that lowers neurotransmission levels and diminishes excitability to cure anxiety.
• Karonda fruit can relieve stomach ache and gives strength to the stomach to keep the stomach related problems at bay.
• It has thermogenic attribute that is to increase heat through metabolic stimulation, is potent in reducing weight, proving to be effective medication for obesity.
• It powers up the digestive system to avoid indigestion and digestive disorders.
• It is favourable in reducing blood sugar levels and aids in curing diabetes.
• The paste of the root is applied over diabetic ulcer and paste of leaf or bark is applied over fresh wounds for healing.
• The stem bark juice of the herb is given to treat different skin ailments.   The fruit has anti-fungal and anti-microbial property thus it is used to clean old wounds which have become infected.
• As it has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, the juice can be applied to the skin to relieve any type of skin problem.
• It has carbs, fibre, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A and Ascorbic acid. It is prescribed during constipation to get relief.

The red juice of ancient Thailand name carunda or karonda (Carissa Carandas L.), Thai herb juice.

Traditional healers have expertise in treating different kinds of cancer wounds from Karonda. They prepare the decoction by taking equal amounts of Karonda leaves, spines, roots, flowers, and fruits and by crushing all these they make paste and by adding water boil them.  When the water becomes half it is removed from heat.  When the decoction is lukewarm the wounds are washed.  This decoction is said to have immense potential to heal the wound and make it infection free.

By Nibhanapudi Suguna