Indian bael (aegle marmelos)
Synopsis of Indian bael
Indian bael (Aegle marmelos), also known as bael fruit, Bilva, or stone apple, is a sacred tree native to India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia, valued for its nutritional, medicinal, and spiritual significance. Nearly every part of the tree—fruit, leaves, bark, roots, and seeds—has been used in Ayurvedic and traditional folk medicine. The fruit is rich in tannins, coumarins, marmelosin, alkaloids, pectins, vitamins, and essential oils, which contribute to its wide-ranging antimicrobial, digestive, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.
Bael is best known for supporting digestive health, particularly in the treatment of chronic diarrhea, dysentery, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and colitis. The unripe or semi-ripe fruit is astringent, helping to tone intestinal walls, reduce mucus production, and inhibit pathogenic bacteria in the gut. It also acts as a mild laxative when ripe, helping relieve constipation without irritation. The pulp is commonly prepared as a decoction, infusion, or electuary and is often used in Ayurvedic formulas for grahani (digestive weakness).
Additionally, bael supports blood sugar regulation, respiratory health, and liver detoxification. Its leaves are also used in remedies for diabetes, inflammation, and infections, while the root bark is used in fever and cardiac support formulations.
Historical Use
Bael has been revered in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years, and it is considered a sacred tree dedicated to Lord Shiva, often planted near temples and used in religious rituals. Ayurvedic texts classify bael as Tridoshic, meaning it helps balance Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, though it is most often used to manage Pitta and Kapha excess in the digestive and respiratory tracts.
In Ayurveda, bael is especially important for treating grahani, a condition marked by chronic digestive weakness, diarrhea alternating with constipation, and undigested food in the stool. It is included in classic formulations like Bilwadi Churna, often combined with herbs like nutmeg, ginger, and pomegranate rind.
In Siddha and Unani medicine, bael has been used similarly to treat gastrointestinal issues, skin disorders, infections, and respiratory ailments.
Today, Indian bael remains an essential herb in traditional medicine systems, and it is gaining recognition in modern herbalism and phytotherapy as a gentle but effective botanical for digestive health, gut inflammation, and blood sugar support, bridging sacred tradition and scientific validation.
Indian bael is used for these health conditions
Abdominal Pain (Traditional)
Acid Indigestion (Traditional)
Anal Fistula or Fissure (Traditional)
Appetite (deficient) (Traditional)
Asthma (Traditional)
Belching (Traditional)
Blood in Stool (Traditional)
Blood Poisoning (Traditional)
Boils (Traditional)
Bronchitis (Traditional)
Bruises (healing) (Traditional)
Burns and Scalds (Traditional)
Cholesterol (high) (Traditional)
Circulation (poor) (Traditional)
Colds (general) (Traditional)
Constipation (adults) (Traditional)
Constipation (children) (Traditional)
Cough (dry) (Traditional)
Cough (general) (Traditional)
Cough (spastic) (Traditional)
Cuts (Traditional)
Diabetes (Scientific)
Diarrhea (Scientific)
Digestion (poor) (Traditional)
Dyspepsia (Traditional)
Ear Infection or Earache (Traditional)
Edema (Traditional)
Eye Infections (Traditional)
Fever (Traditional)
Gall Bladder (sluggish or removed) (Traditional)
Gall Stones (Traditional)
Gas and Bloating (Traditional)
Gastritis (Traditional)
Gingivitis (Traditional)
Glands (swollen lymph) (Traditional)
Headache (general) (Traditional)
Headache (sinus) (Traditional)
Headache (tension) (Traditional)
Hepatitis (Traditional)
Indigestion (Traditional)
Indian bael is used to support these body systems
Bladder (Traditional)
Digestive System (Traditional)
Gastrointestinal Tract (Traditional)
Immune System (Traditional)
Intestinal System (Traditional)
Large Intestines (Colon) (Traditional)
Liver (Traditional)
Pancreas Head (Traditional)
Rectum (Traditional)
Skin (Traditional)
Stomach (Traditional)
