Ficus bengalensis, commonly known as the banyan tree, has many medicinal uses for various parts of the tree. It can be used to treat syphilis, increase semen production, strengthen teeth, cure dysentery, and remove toxins from the body from mercury exposure. The milk from the tree is astringent and cooling and can be applied topically or consumed to treat various conditions. Various preparations using leaves, bark, fruits or roots can also be used to increase breast milk, fertility, and cure stomach ailments.

1. FICUS BENGALENSIS
Dr.J.Raamachandran

2. FICUS BENGALENSIS
(5). Grind the tender leaves of Ficus bengalensis and take 5 grams at a time
with curd. This will cure dysentery associated with blood.
(6). Take 40 grams each of barks of Ficus bengalensis, Ficus racemosa
(“aththi” in Tamil) and root bark of Indigofera tinctoria (“avuri” in Tamil)
and add 10 grams of pepper in 2 liters of water and boil it till the volume is
reduced to one fourth. Take 200 ml. of this decoction three times a day for a
few days. This will remove the poisons arising due to medicines that contain
mercury in any form.
Dr.J.Raamachandran

3. FICUS BENGALENSIS
Dr.J.Raamachandran

4. FICUS BENGALENSIS
Ficus bengalensis is an immense tree with branches spreading far and wide. Its special
property is the rootlet that falls from its branches. This rootlet grows and falls to the
ground and form natural support to the larger branches of the parent tree. From a distance
it looks like an assemblage of pillar-like stems covering a considerable distance all
around the original trunk. Almost all parts of banyan tree have medicinal properties. They
are normally used to cure syphilitic conditions, stomach problems, diabetes etc. It gives
strength to the body. “Flourish like banyan and rooted like Cynodon dactylon” is a Tamil
proverb. ("aal pOl thazhaiththu aruku pOl vErOdi"). The seed of the fruit is medicinally
cooling and a tonic. The white milk like juice from the stems is applied in tooth ache. It
can also be applied to the foot where there is inflammation and fissures. The bark is useful
as an infusion for diabetes. A bath, using the bark of the root and the stem is efficacious in
leprosy and in mitigating pains in the limbs.. Milk of banyan: It cures syphilis. It makes
the shaky tooth strong and unshaken. It increases semen and cools the head.
Dr.J.Raamachandran

5. FICUS BENGALENSIS
There are several varieties such as:
1. Ficus infectoria (“kallaalamaram”);
2.Ficus tsida (“kuruvaalamaram”);
3. Ficus retusa (“ichchiyaalamaram”);
4.Ficus amplissima (“chitraalamaram”);
5.Creeping banyan (“kodiyaalamaram”);
6.Ficus elastica (“seemaiyaalamaram”) etc
Dr.J.Raamachandran

6. FICUS BENGALENSIS
In other languages
Tamil aalamaram
Hindi bargad
Telugu marri
Malayalam peral
Sanskrit vata
Kannada alada
English Banyan tree
Arabic
Latin Ficus bengalensis
Dr.J.Raamachandran

7. FICUS BENGALENSIS
Family Moraceae (aalamarak kudumpam)
Parts used leaf, milk, aerial root, ripe fruit
Taste Astringent
Nature Cold (kulirchchi)
Division sweet (inippu)
Action Aphrodisiac, Astringent, Tonic
Phytochemicals Ripe fruits: glycoside.
Leaves: quercetin-3; glactoside; rutin, friedelin, b-sitosterol etc.
Wood: taraxasterol tiglate;
Stem bark: leucoanthocyanins etc.
Dr.J.Raamachandran

8. FICUS BENGALENSIS
aalampaal mEkam aRum thasaiyum palliRukum kola
mudikkik kulirchchi tharum--gnaalamathil
meththavumE chukkilaththai vaLarach cheyyum thappaamaR
Chuththa mathi mukaththaay chol!
chollukindra mEkaththai thutta akakkaduppaik
kollukindra neerizhivaik kollungkaaN---nal aalin
paalum vizhuthum pazhamum vithaiyum poovum
mElum ilaiyumena viL
Dr.J.Raamachandran

9. FICUS BENGALENSIS
Tell without fail the use of Banyan milk
Which drives away syphilis from the body trunk
Controls shaky tooth and makes the gum healthy
Increases semen, my dear moon-like face lady!
The flower, seeds, fruits, leaves and
The milk of Banyan tree will put an end
To the killing diabetes and stinking syphilis
And stomach burning tell not to miss.
Dr.J.Raamachandran

10. FICUS BENGALENSIS
Method of Use:
(1). Take one tea spoon of the milk of Ficus bengalensis tree. Drinking this
milk will cure many diseases. In the case of ladies, white discharge will be
stopped. In the case of males semen will increase. In general it will cure the
fissures in the tongue.
(2). Applying the milk of Ficus bengalensis around shaky tooth will make the
tooth strong and healthy.
(3). Take equal amount of fruit of Ficus bengalensis and tender aerial root of
the same. Grind them together and boil in the milk and drink. This will
increase semen and also improves fertility.
(4). Take the tender aerial root and the seeds of Ficus bengalensis. Grind them
together. Taking 5 grams of this paste along with milk will increase breast
milk.
Dr.J.Raamachandran

11. FICUS BENGALENSIS
(5). Grind the tender leaves of Ficus bengalensis and take 5 grams at a time
with curd. This will cure dysentery associated with blood.
(6). Take 40 grams each of barks of Ficus bengalensis, Ficus racemosa
(“aththi” in Tamil) and root bark of Indigofera tinctoria (“avuri” in Tamil)
and add 10 grams of pepper in 2 liters of water and boil it till the volume is
reduced to one fourth. Take 200 ml. of this decoction three times a day for a
few days. This will remove the poisons arising due to medicines that contain
mercury in any form.
Dr.J.Raamachandran