Timberi/Diospyros malabarcia

 

                      TIMBERI HAS ANTISEPTIC PROPERTIES

   Timibiri is a dry zone tree, but it is also generally found near streams or damp ground. Botanically it is called Diospyros malabarcia. In Tamil it isKnown as  Ttmbilik-key or Panichchia.

      It is large densely leaved tree with dark, Rather smooth bark. Its branches Spread irregularly and it has both male and female flowers. The male flowersAre rounded or triangular, lobed, pale green in colour and coated with silkyHair. The female flowers are thick,  pointed at the apex, and have a few dark Hair near the calyx. The fruits conspicuously larg and are about 11/2 to 3 inches in diameter.

    These are usually solitary, and are coated with a reddish colour. these seeds are large ,brown, coppressed and variable in nimber.

    The wood is nearly white  with a trace of black heartwood. The fruitsafford a gummy juice, and is used for preserving fishing nets and lines.The ripe fruit is said contain 20 or 40 per cent of tannic acid.

    The gum is used medically as an astringent, and is useful in diarrhoea and internal heamorrhage. A gargle is made from an infusion of the fruit. The exudation from the trees is an antiseptic  and protection against insects.

    Timbiri is known as Tinduka in Sanskrit. In Bengal a preparation is made by heating the fruit in a large vessel, and boiling and juice which has been extracted and a preservative to planks of wood.

     A brownish liquid used for dying and tanning is prepared from the half ripeFruit. The ripe fruit is edible and is Beneficial in blood diseases and in gonorrhea And leprosy.

    In India “tunika oil” obtained from the seeds is used in dysentery and diarrhoea.

Although the ripe fruit is very sweet insects will not touch it. A infusion or decoction of the rind is  useful in chronic dysentery and diarrhoea.

   The Timbiri tree is sometimes known as wild mangoosteen. A poultice of the bark can be applied to boils and tumours ; a decoction of the bark mixed with gees is a very efficacious dressing for burns.

   The powder of the bark can be given like coffee for coughs. An extract of the fruit in dose of one grains with water, three times a day is an excellent remedy fir chronic diarrhoea and dysentery. A watery soloution of the extract is a vlabule vaginal douche in leucorrhoea.

    The fruit juice is an efficacious agent which cheek bleeding. An infusion of the ftuit is an excellent gargle for sore throats. In asthma the dried rind of fruitis smoked in dose of 45 grains.

     Thimbiri is a very important for parturient mothers. The labour room or the special apartment where children were  born  in  ancient village home was knownAs “Timbiri Geya”. This is dark  room with one door.Darkness has been found to be good  the new born baby.

Timibiri is another tree that needs our care and protection.