Diospyros kaki Linn. f.

Family:

Ebenaceae.

Habitat:

Native to China; now grown in Himachal Pradesh, Kumaon, the Nilgiris and West Bengal for edible fruits.

English:

Japanese Persimmon.

Ayurvedic:

Tinduka (var.).

Action:

Hypotensive, hepatoprotective, antidote to poisons and bacterial toxins. Calyx and peduncle of fruit—used in the treatment of cough and dyspnoea. Roasted seeds—used as a substitute for coffee.

The fruit, in addition to sugars, glucose, fructose, ascorbic acid, citric acid, contains (% of fresh weight) 0.20–1.41 tannins, 0.21–10.07 total pectins, 0.67 pentosans and 0.16–0.25 polyphenols. The fruit also contains 2.4 mg/100 g carotenoids; carotene expressed as vitamin A 2200–2600 IU. The carotenoids identified in the pulp include cryptoxanthine, zeaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lycopene and beta-carotene. (Many carotenoids originally present in the fruit decompose during ripening.

The fruit pulp is an antidote to bacterial toxins and is used in the preparation of a vaccine for pertussis.

Condensed...