Introduction:
Syzygium cumini (S. cumini) is a species of Syzygium (L.) Skeels are one of the most well-known species and are widely farmed. Jambolan, Indian blackberry, jamun, black plum, java plum, Malabar plum, Portuguese plum, purple plum, damson plum and Jamaica are common names for jamun. The tree is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and many other South Asian countries including Burma, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.
Jambolan is a vast, highly foliaceous evergreen tree with thick greyish-brown bark that exfoliates in woody scales. The wood is whitish in colour and durable. The leaves are leathery, 6 to 12 centimeters long, and oblong-ovate to elliptical in shape with a broad tip. Flowers are round or oblong in shape, aromatic, greenish-white, and come in clusters of a few or 10 to 40. The fruits are oblong, 1.5 to 3.5 centimeters long, dark-purple or black, and delicious, with a single big seed inside.
Chemical Composition:
Anthocyanins, ellagic acid, glucoside, isoquercetin, kaemferol and myrecetin are among the compounds found in jambolan. The alkaloid jambosine and the glycoside antimellin or jambolin are said to be present in the seeds
Nutritional Value:
The nutritional content fount per 100 g of edible jamun fruit is:
| Nutrients | Value |
| Proteins | 0.07 – 0.13 g |
| Fats | 0.15 – 0.3 g |
| Crude Fibres | 0.30 – 0.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 14 g |
| Calcium | 8.30 – 15 mg |
| Magnesium | 35 mg |
| Phosphorus | 15 – 16.20 mg |
| Iron | 1.20 – 1.62 mg |
| Sodium | 26.2 mg |
| Potassium | 55 mg |
| Copper | 0.23 mg |
| Sulfur | 13 mg |
| Vitamin A | 8 IU |
| Thiamine | 0.01 – 0.03 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.009 – 0.01 mg |
| Niacin | 0.20 – 0.29 mg |
| Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) | 5.70 – 18 mg |
| Folic acid | 3 mcg |
Therapeutic Uses:
Various parts of the plant have therapeutic properties as listed below:
Bark:
- Astringent to the bowels
- Anthelmintic
- Digestive
- Asthma
- Anti-Ulcer
- Anti-Dysentric
- Blood Purifier
Fruit:
- Astringent to the bowels
- Astringent to the mouth
- Stomachic
- Diuretic
- Anti-Diabetic
Seed:
- Anti-Diabetic
Leaves ash:
- Gums Strengthening
Vinegar made from the juice of ripe fruit:
- Stomachic
- Diuretic
- Astringent in treating diarrhoea
Benefits for Diabetes:
- In diabetic treated rats, the antidiabetic activity of jamun seed powder was observed as an increase in body weight and improvement in peak blood glucose levels.
- In rats, the effects of oral administration of extract of jamun seed powder on body weight, fasting blood glucose levels, and pancreatic islets were investigated.
- The increase in the secretion of insulin from β-cells of the islets of Langerhans was proposed as a possible mechanism of jamun seeds in reducing blood sugar levels.
Benefits for Cholesterol:
- In rats, the anti-hyperlipidemic activity of jamun seed extract was seen in plasma, kidney and liver tissues.
- Treatment with jamun seed extract reduced the high levels of plasma lipids seen in diabetic rats to near-normal levels.
- By regulating metabolism in the liver and kidney, the oral treatment of jamun seed extract lowered serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol.
- It enhanced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in diabetic rats.
Benefits as an Antioxidant:
- The administration of jamun-kernel extract orally to diabetic rats reduced the levels of certain thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hydroperoxides in liver and kidney tissues to near-normal values.
- There was a considerable recovery in glutathione levels, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver and kidney.
- With more research on humans, jamun may be useful in boosting antioxidant levels for slowing down ageing and reducing levels of inflammation.
Benefits for Gut:
- In different animal models having ulcers in the stomach, the extract of jamun seeds on stomach ulceration and secretion in rats was examined.
- Jamun seeds extract reduced acid and pepsin production in the stomach while increasing gastric mucosal glycoproteins in rats.
- This helps lower stomach ulcer formation and allows for faster healing of ulcers.
- The anti-diarrhoeal efficacy of E. jambolana bark was tested in rat diarrhoea models.
- The extract considerably reduced the frequency of stools and the moisture of faecal droppings compared to control rats that were not given jamun.
Benefits for Liver:
- In rats, the extract of jamun pulp’s efficacy on rat model was investigated for its liver protective abilities.
- Rats were given two different dosages of jamun, and the conventional medication silymarin showed lower enzyme levels and higher total protein and albumin levels.
- Jamun pulp repaired the liver cells rapidly and helped bring the enzyme levels closer to normal levels.
- It preserved the structure of the liver cells and helped in protein synthesis.
Benefits for Allergy:
- In mice, jamun leaf extract reduced paw oedema.
- Jamun leaf extract also directly affected mast cell degranulation, inhibiting in vitro histamine release induced by the mast cell degranulation i.e., reduced allergic reaction due to histamine release.
- The presence of flavonoids in the jamun leaf extract may be responsible for these anti-allergic properties.
Benefits for Arthritis:
- The anti-arthritic effect of jamun seeds extract on oral intake was investigated in rat models.
- The red blood cell count, haemoglobin level, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate all improved to near-normal levels after jamun seeds extract was given to the rats.
- In jamun seeds extract-treated rats, joint space loss, bone resorption, and tissue swelling significantly reduced as the inflammation reduced.
- With more research jamun extract might be a viable treatment for arthritis in humans too.
Benefits for Infection:
- The antimicrobial activity of extracts of jamun bark were investigated.
- The extracts were effective against a number of bacteria i.e., Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus cohnii, and Staphylococcus warneri.
Benefits for Kidney:
- The kidney protective activity of the active principle extracted from jamun fruit pulp was examined in rats.
- In diabetic rats, treatment with the extract significantly decreased fasting blood glucose levels plasma creatinine level, blood urea, urine volume, microalbuminuria, and urinary sugar levels.
- All of these significantly aid in improving kidney health in the long term.
Benefits for Anaemia:
- The anti-anaemic activity of extract from the seeds of jamun has been reported.
- The seed extract of jamun was found to increase total haemoglobin as per research.
Benefits for Brain:
- The effects of jamun seeds on central nervous system activity in mice were investigated.
- Jamun extracts had a significant protective effect on the central nervous system.
Benefits for Radioprotective Activity:
The leaves of jamun were examined for radioprotection. Micronuclei production in lymphocytes, which occurs due to radiation, was reduced by S. cumini.
How to Use?
The following parts of jamun can be used:
- Stem bark
- Seeds
- Fruit Pulp
- Leaves
- Kernels
Research:
- Ayyanar M, Subash-Babu P. Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels: A review of its phytochemical constituents and traditional uses. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2012; 2(3): 240-246.
https://sci-hub.st/10.1016/S2221-1691(12)60050-1 - Shrikant Baslingappa S, Nayan Singh JT, Meghatai MP, et al. Jamun (Syzygium cumini (L.)): a review of its food and medicinal uses. Food Nutr Sci. 2012; 2012.
https://www.scirp.org/pdf/FNS20120800006_15940773.pdf - Srivastava S, Chandra D. Pharmacological potentials of Syzygium cumini: a review. J Sci Food Agri. 2013; 93(9): 2084-2093.
https://sci-hub.st/10.1002/jsfa.6111 - Ahmad N, Nawab M, Kazmi MH. Medicinal potential of jamun (Syzygium cumini Linn): A review. J Drug Deliv Ther. 2019; 9(5):175-80.
http://jddtonline.info/index.php/jddt/article/view/3568/2743 - Sharma VB, Soni MK, Onkar JN, Shrma O. Medicinal Uses Of Jamun [Syzygium Cumini (Linn) Skeeels.]: A Review Article. World J Pharm Med Res. 2019; 5 (8): 89-90
- https://pharmeasy.in/blog/jamun-benefits-uses-side-effects/#:~:text=Jambolan%2C%20Indian%20blackberry%2C%20jamun%2C,are%20common%20names%20for%20jamun.
- https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Syzygium+cumini
Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.