In the realm of therapeutics, medicinal plants are extremely important for treating a wide range of serious illnesses. One of the therapeutic plants is called Audumbar, or Udumbara. In Buddhism, Udumbara is referred to as Blue Lotus. Ficus glomerata is the plant's scientific name. The fig tree is its well-known moniker. This plant is evergreen, and its portions have long been used for ceremonial purposes as well as food and fodder.

The udumbara tree is a deciduous one that can reach a height of 10 to 16 meters at the medium level. Massive, green foliage that offers decent shade enhances this. The plant has ovate or elliptical-shaped leaves. These have a green color and measure 7 to 10 centimeters in length. December is when the leaves wither, and from January to April, they bloom. Since they are not distinguishable from one another, the plant's flowers are enclosed within the fruits. The fruits are shaped like pears and are edible. As they expand out from the primary branch, they form clusters. Their diameter ranges from 2 to 5 cm. When the fruit is uncooked, it is green; when it ripens, it turns orange or dark crimson. Fruit that is ripe smells fragrant. The fruits are smooth, pyriform, subglobose, and sporadically coated in tiny, silky hairs. The seeds are many, tiny, and resemble grains. The bark has a soft, uneven surface, is 0.5–1.8 cm thick, and is broken. Its hue is grayish brown. The bark has fibers and a light brown color on its inner surface. It doesn't smell particularly, but it tastes like mucilage.

General Description

Udumbara, also known as Ficus glomerata, is a member of the Moraceae family. This is a well-known plant that is also mentioned in a number of ancient scriptures. For example, Udumbara is revered to God Dattaguru because the tree is regarded as the kalpataru of Kalalayug, and as such, trees from it are frequently found in the temple of Dattaguru.

Among the names of Lord Vishnu is Udumbara. Udumbara is a Vedic emblem of good fortune. In Buddhism, it is sometimes referred to as blue lotus.

In the conventional system, this plant has multiple therapeutic applications. Every portion of the plant has a therapeutic use. Typically, leaves treat bilious illnesses. Fruits are proven to help prevent diarrhea and constipation. The plant's bark is a remedy for diabetes, asthma, leucorrhea, ulcers, spongy gums, diarrhea, and urinary issues. Udumbara possesses numerous biological properties that are useful for its traditional usage, including antitussive, chemopreventive, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antidiuretic, and antipyretic effects.

The phytochemicals that combat illnesses are found in many parts of the plant. Euphorbol, along with its hexacosanoate, tinyatoxin, cycloartenol, and taraxerone, are found in the plant's roots. euphorbol and its hexacosanate, β-sitosterol, ingenol, stigma sterol, Taraxerone, leucoanthocyanins (leucocyanidin-3-O-β-glucopyranoside, leucopelarogonidin-3-O-α-Lrhamnopyranoside), lupeol, unknown long chain ketone, and ceryl behenate are among the components found in bark. The plant's leaves are home to Tetra triterpene glauanol acetate racemosic acid. Fruit contains tiglic acid, glucose, hentriacontane, lupeolacetate, β sitosterol, glauanol, higher hydrocarbons, phytosterol, and esters of friedelin and taraxasterol. The latex of the tree includes taraxerol, cycloartenol, β-sitosterol 4-deoxyphorbol, palmitic acid, euphol, a-amyrin, trimethyl, tirucallol, euphorbinol, isoeuphorbol, tinyatoxin, and taraxerol.

Classification

• Kingdom - Plantae
• Subkingdom - Tracheobionta
• Superdivision - Spermatophyta
• Division - Magnoliophyta
• Class - Magnoliopsida
• Subclass - Hamamelididae
• Order - Urticales
• Family - Moraceae
• Genus - Ficus

Habitat

In India, Udumbara grows year-round. It can be found up to 1800 meters above sea level in damp areas, deciduous forests, and evergreen forests. It is grown in the Deccan plateau, the outer Himalayan ranges, the Khasia Mountain, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chota Nagpur, Orissa, Karnataka, and Kerela.

Names of the Udumbara

• Sanskrit name - Jantukaphala, Hemadugdha, Jantu phala
• Hindi name - Gular, dumar
• English Name - Cluster fig tree, Country fig, Redwood fig, Crattock, Gular fig
• Konkani name - Rhumbud
• Kannada name - Atti mara
• Malayalam name - Aththi
• Manipuri name - Heibong
• Marathi name - Udumbar, umbar
• Bengali Name - Dumur, udumbara
• Telugu name - medi pandu, Attimaram, Brahmamamidi
• Urdu name - Dumar
• Tamil name - Malaiyin munivan, utumparam
• Gujarati name - Goolar, umbaro
• Nepalese name - Dumrii
• Oriya name - Dimri
• Assamese name - Jagna Dimaru
• Thai name - Ma-Duer Chumphoni, Ma-Duer Uthumphon
• Sinhalese name - Attikka
• Vietnamese name - Sung

Ayurvedic Properties

	Hindi / Sanskrit	English
Rasa (Taste)	Kashaya	Astringent
Guna (Physical Property)	Guru, Rooksha	Heavy, Dry
Virya (Potency)	Sheeta	Cold
Vipaka (Post-Digestive Taste)	Katu	Pungent

Effects on Doshas

This plant helps to lessen and regulate pitta while increasing kapha, which in effect balances the doshas.

Classical Categorization

Charak Samhita	Sushruta Samhita	Vagbhata
Kashaya Skandha - Herbs with an astringent flavor group.	Nyagrodhdi - This group of herbs helps with vaginal disorders, ulcers, thirst, and constipation.	Nyagrodhadi Gana - A group of herbs that is beneficial for vaginal disorders, ulcers, thirst, and constipation.
Mutra Sangrahaneeya - A group of herbs that help return urine production to normal.

Practical uses

The Udumbara plant has a number of therapeutic benefits, including antipyretic, antibacterial, antifungal, chemoprotective, and hepatoprotective effects.

In fever

• Due to its antipyretic and anti-inflammatory qualities, Udumbara is beneficial in treating fever.
• Just extract the juice from fresh Udumbara roots. Consume up to nine or ten grams of this juice in the morning and evening, along with sugar.
• Soak 10 to 20 grams of Udumbara bark in 400 milliliters of water. After three hours, try this. Take up to 50 milliliters of this infusion in the morning and evening.

In Piles and fistula

• Make a powder out of 14–15 grams of Udumbara leaves. Combine this powder with 250–270 grams of curd and black salt, then eat it twice a day in pile-forming condition. The best option for curd will be made with cow's milk.
• Take 15 to 20 drops of the milk secreted by the Udumbara plant, mix it with some water, and drink. This demonstrates a significant impact on bleeding during piles.
• Take some Udumbara plant milk secretion and dip cotton into it to treat fistula. Now apply that piece of cotton on the fistula each day.

In Urinary disorders

• Take 10–11 drops of Udumbara milk secretion in two batashas (a type of sugar sweet) per day to cure urinary issues.
• When the urine is yellow, remove the fruit peel, pat dry, and grind. Combine it with the same quantity of sugar and drink up to 6-7 grams with cow's milk twice a day.
• Use 1-2 grains of camphor and up to 50 grams of Udumbara plant to treat internal wounds in the urinary organs. After making its infusion, wash the organs.
• Use the Udumbara unripe fruit powder in polyuria along with the same quantity of sugar. Take 7–10 grams with water or milk.

Hemorrhagic diathesis

• It is a condition when there is excessive bleeding because blood's coagulability is inadequate because of a coagulopathy issue. One can use thirty grams of Udumbara bark, ground into a paste, and apply it to the inside of the upper jaw to treat this issue. For the treatment of nose bleeding, this works well.
• Eat three ripe Udumbara fruits with sugar three times a day to stop the bleeding.
• Take Udumbara fruits, grind them, and drink up to 4-5 grams of the powder with milk three times a day to prevent blood from vomiting.
• Unripe Udumbara fruit and sugar are used to treat metrorrhagia, abortion, excessive bleeding, and diarrhea associated with bleeding. In the morning and evening, take five to seven grams of powdered turmeric with water.
• Make juice out of its leaves and take up to 5 ml of it with honey if you have diarrhea or bleeding when you're sick.

In Leucorrhea

• Remove the Udumbara juice and drink 10 ml of juice twice a day with added sugar.

In Dysuria

• Eat three or more Udumbara fruits in the morning..

After conceiving

• Blend one Udumbara fruit with milk and eat it with meals to promote fetal growth and prevent abortion.

In Ulcers and Udumbara

• Soak some seeds in milk, then ground them. Now, apply as much as 15 grams of this mixture to the ulcers.

In Aphrodisiac

• Consider the powdered forms of Indian kudzu and Udumbara fruits. Add ghee, sugar, and up to 6 grams of this powder to milk. Take two times daily.
• It increases sexual vigor and potency in men.
• It cures all aphrodisiac problems in women.

In Gonorrhea

• Consume up to 6 grams of sugar along with powdered unripe Udumbara fruit when the illness is still in its early stages.

Other indications

• Antibacterial: demonstrate effects against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus pumitis.
• Antifungal: It possesses antifungal properties as well.
• Furthermore, it protects the liver.

Parts Used

• Bark
• Fruits
• Latex

Dosage

• Decoction - 50 to 100 ml
• Latex - 5 to 100 drops
• Powder - 3 to 6 grams

Things to be kept in Mind

When using Udumbara, exercise caution if you have a cold, a cough, or allergic reactions. Pregnancy is safe when using it.