Syzygium cumini/Jamun, also known as Java plum and black plum, is a colorful summer fruit with several benefits.  Also known as black plum or Java plum, Jamun has now spread to other tropical regions across the world. It is a fruit of the flowering tree called Syzygium cumini and it fruits during May and June.

Syzygium cumini, commonly known as Malabar plum, java plum, black plum, Jamun or jambolana, is an evergreen tropical tree in the flowering plant family Myrtaceae and favored for its fruit, timber, and ornamental value. It is native to the Indian Subcontinent, adjoining regions of Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and the Andaman Islands.^[rx][rx] It can reach heights of up to 30 meters (98 ft) and can live more than 100 years.^[rx] A rapidly growing plant, it is considered an invasive species in many world regions.^[rx]

Other common names for Black Plum are Jamun Fruit, Indian Blackberry, Damson Plum, Jambolan, Java Plum, Jambolan Plum, Portuguese Plum, Malabar Plum, Purple Plum, Jambu, Jambul, Jamun, Jambas, Kala jamun, Rajaman, Neredu, Naval, Jamali, Neale, Java plum, and Blackberry. The scientific name of Black plum is Syzygium cumini. Naturally, the tree grows in India, the Himalayas, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Australia. It got introduced to Fiji, Cook Islands, Guam, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Florida, Hawaii, Palau, Niue, China, Tonga, Palau, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Christmas Island, India, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean.

The tree is tall which usually grows from 5 to 20 meters tall. Leaves are thick, wide have a pinnate bone. The tree produces ellipsoid or oblong berries as a fruit. Berries are green at first which turns purple. The fruit tastes sour and sweet. The plant could be grown in semi-shade or no shade. It prefers wet or moist soil and is also able to tolerate drought.

Black plum is a substantial summer fruit that is related to various health benefits. It provides relief from stomach pain and acts as an anti-scorbutic, carminative, and diuretic. The polyphenolic compounds found in Black plum are helpful for heart diseases, cancer, asthma, diabetes, and arthritis. It is also effective against bowel spasm, flatulence, dysentery, and stomach ailments. It is consumed as a tonic to promote sexual activities. Black plum possesses anti-diabetic features. It converts starch into energy and normalizes the level of blood sugar. Due to its low glycemic index in Black plum, it is suitable for sugar patients as well. It reduces diabetic symptoms such as thrusting and frequent urination. This fruit contains adequate amounts of Vitamin C and iron. Iron helps to promote the count of hemoglobin and also acts as a blood purifier. Iron content is helpful in menses where women experience blood loss.

Plant

Black plum is a large and evergreen tree that is much branched and grows from 5 to 20 meters tall having a trunk diameter of 60 to 90 cm, terete branches, scaly bark and canopy spread of 10 meters. Leaves are coriaceous, opposite, elliptic-oblong measuring 5 to 15 cm long by 2.5 to 8 cm wide, narrow, acuminate. Petioles are 1 to 2.5 cm long. The fragrant flowers occur in clusters and are axillary on flowering branches. Flowers are pinkish or white which measures 12 mm wide. The calyx is copular measuring 4 to 6 mm wide and 8 mm long. Petals are caduceus, slightly rounded, coherent, and white to rose pink. Flowers are replaced by an ovoid to ellipsoid fruit which measures 2 to 2.5 cm long. Fruits are green which turns from pale greenish to white to deep purplish to black when ripe. Pulp is astringent, juicy, white to pale lavender in color with one large and green seed.

Minerals	Amount	% DV
Calcium, Ca	26 mg	2.60%
Iron, Fe	0.26 mg	3.25%
Magnesium, Mg	20 mg	4.76%
Phosphorus, P	23 mg	3.29%
Potassium, K	107 mg	2.28%
Sodium, Na	19 mg	1.27%

Vitamins	Amount	% DV
Water-soluble Vitamins
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)	0.008 mg	0.67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	0.016 mg	1.23%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	0.351 mg	2.19%
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	0.051 mg	3.92%
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)	19.3 mg	21.44%
Fat-soluble Vitamins
Vitamin A, IU	4 IU	N/D

*Above mentioned Percent Daily Values (%DVs) are based on 2,000 calorie diet intake. Daily values (DVs) may be different depending upon your daily calorie needs. Mentioned values are recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They are not rxharun.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average age of 19 to 50 years and weigh 194 lbs. Source: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ 

Health Benefits of Black Plum

Black plum belongs to the family Myrtaceae. It is also called as jambul, jambas, jambolan, malabar plum, neredu, rajaman, kala jamun, jamali, naval and java plum. It was firstly originated in India and spread to other tropical regions of the world in various countries of Southeast Asia and Eastern Africa such as Nepal, Pakistan, India, Surinam, Trinidad, Bangladesh, Tobago, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. Though various varieties could be found, the common variety is oblong shaped and bluish or deep purple colored.

1. Diabetic treatment

Black Plum is used for treating various diseases especially diabetes and associated complications. The plant possesses several compounds which are found to be the characteristics of the plant. The pharmacological activities on diabetes were carried out with seed. There are not so many works with pharmacological actions of phytochemical constituents of Black plum. On the basis of these facts, the author reviewed the role of Black Plum in a variety of treatments and recommended that further clinical and phytochemical research should be carried out on the plant for making safer drugs. (1)

2. Antioxidant activity

The study findings concluded that some medicinal plants have antioxidants and might be effective as preventive agents in the pathogenesis of diseases. The methanol extracts are considerably effective radical scavengers in comparison to those who use less polarity solvent. It indicates that antioxidants of different polarities could be found in the leaves of Black Plum. Still, more research is needed on the use of Black plum essential oil and extracts as preservative agents in various foods. Results encourage the use of Black plum leaves for nutraceutical applications, medicinal health, and functional food due to their antibacterial and antioxidant properties. (2)

3. Lower apoptosis

The study confirms the apoptotic and inhibitor effect of the Black plum extract on cervical cancer cell lines. This fruit possesses gallic acid which has anti-HIV, anti-adenoviral, anti-carcinomic, anti-peroxidant, chemopreventive, and apoptotic activities. It is a topoisomerase-I-inhibitor. The results from the study indicate the apoptotic and inhibitory effects of the extract. The anti-viral effect is confirmed by further experiments. Further research is required for identifying efficacy, mode of action, and safety issues. (3)

4. Antioxidant activity

The results obtained from the study confirmed that leaves of Black plum gall extracts as antioxidants and justified an ethnobotanical approach in the search for novel bioactive compounds. A strong correlation was observed between high total phenolic and flavonoid contents and higher antioxidant activities in methanol leaf gall extracts of Black plum. The findings supported that extracts obtained with the use of high polarity solvent are effective radical scavengers. Results supported that gall extracts use are potent antioxidants that may be effective as preventive agents in the pathogenesis of some metabolic diseases. The study promoted the use of Black plum leaves gall extracts for functional food, medicinal health and nutraceutical applications. (4)

Other medicinal uses

1. Bed Wetting

Give 1 teaspoon of ground seeds with water.

2. Nightfall

Consume 4 gm of seed powder with water twice a day (in the morning and evening).

3. Blood Dysentery

Drink the mixture of 20 gm of powdered seeds and ½ cup water twice a day.

Or,

Boil 10 gm of bark and 500 ml water till it reduces to 1/4^th. Let it cool down. Take about 20 to 25 ml of this mixture 3 times a day.

4. Diarrhea

Grind leaves by adding a little rock salt. Make a pill and take this each in the morning and evening.

5. Hoarseness

Grind seeds by adding honey to make pills. Use two pills for 3 to 4 times in a day.

6. Dental & gum infections

Mix ash of each Black plum leaves and almond shells. Then add peppermint (little) for making a tooth powder which helps to clean teeth and stop bleeding.

Or,

Rub leaves ashes on teeth and gums. This stops bleeding and also makes teeth strong.

Or,

Wash mouth with Black plum juice if suffering from pyorrhea.

7. Ringworm

Apply the diluted juice on affected area of ringworm.

8. Excessive urination

Powdered seeds help to provide relief from excessive urination.

9. Conjunctivitis

Boil 400 ml water by adding 15 to 20 soft leaves till it reduces to 100 ml. Let it cool and then with the use of this decoction wash your eyes.

10. Throat ailments

Drink 10 to 15 ml juice of Black plum to provide relief.

11. Bleeding piles

Grind leaves for making 20 ml juice. Then add some sugar to it. Take three doses every day for providing relief.

Or,

Grind 10 gm of leaves. Add it to 250 ml of cow’s milk. Take 3 doses every day for 1 week by stirring well. This helps to stop bleeding.

12. Bloody diarrhea

Mix 2-3 gms of powdered bark with 2 tsp honey. Add to milk and drink.

13. Gas & bloated stomach

Take 10 ml of Jamun vinegar for relief in the water.

14. Vomiting

Boil 500 ml of water by adding a few pieces of mango. Boil it till the water reduces to 1/4^th. Cool it down and drink 10 ml to stop vomiting.

15. Heal wounds

Place 2 to 3 gm of powdered bark on a wound to heal the wound faster.

Traditional uses

• In traditional medicine, it is used as an aid for diabetes mellitus.
• Fruit is useful for dysentery and bilious diarrhea.
• Prepare water diluted juice and use it as a gargle for sore throat.
• It is used as a lotion for ringworm of the scalp.
• The juice of ripe fruit is used in India for chronic diarrhea, enlargement of the spleen and urine retention.
• Seeds are used for digestive problems.
• Leaves are used for strengthening gums and teeth, treating stomachache, leucorrhoea, skin diseases, strangury, fever, constipation, and preventing blood discharges.
• In India, leaves are used as a poultice for skin problems.
• Leaves are steeped in alcohol which is used for diabetes and dysentery.
• In the Philippines, a decoction made from powdered bark is used internally in diarrhea, dysentery, and dyspepsia.
• Decoction prepared from the bark is used for cleansing ulcers.
• In India, the bark is used for treating anemia, diarrhea, dysentery, diabetes, and spongy gum.
• Bark and leaves are used to control gingivitis and blood pressure.
• Roots are used to treat epilepsy.
• Daily intake of Black plum is for 2 to 4 months is helpful for people with bleeding hemorrhoids.
• To support blood sugar, intake dried seeds powder two times a day (one gram each).
• Fruit helps to lower excessive salivation.
• The decoction of seeds with honey helps to prevent fatigue and thirst caused due to physical strain.
• Apply seeds mixed with little oil on boils or other skin problems.
• Intake Black plum with roasted cumin seed powder and black salt for treating acidity.
• Take one teaspoon of honey, Black plum juice, and amla juice daily in the morning for treating anemia, eliminate sexual weakness, increase memory and eliminate body weakness.

Precautions                                                                                                 

• Avoid roadside Black plum as it is contaminated with lead and heavy metals.
• Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should avoid it.
• As it lowers blood sugar, one should not consume Black plum before and after two weeks of surgery.
• Do not consume Black plum on an empty stomach.
• Do not intake milk after consuming Black plum.
• Overconsumption of Black plum results in fever and body aches.
• Its excessive use is not helpful for the chest and throat.
• A large dose of Black plum results in cough and sputum accumulation in the lungs.
• People with high vatta should avoid the consumption of Black plum.

How to Eat

• Fruits are consumed fresh when ripe or made into sauces, wine, jams, and vinegar.
• Juice is good for syrup, sherbet, and squash.
• Unripe fruits are used to make vinegar.
• Fruits are processed into desserts.
• Black plum could be used as toppings in puddings, pastries, cakes, and custards.
• Pulp is used for making chutneys and jams.

Other Facts        

• All parts of the Black plum have a variety of uses.
• Wood is water-resistant. Thus it is used for making agricultural implements and bullock cartwheels. It is also used for building houses.
• The planks made from this wood support water pumps located in wells.
• Leaves are used as fodder for sheep, cattle, and goats.
• The bark is used in dyeing and tanning industries.
• Flowers are rich in nectar which attracts bees and produce high-quality, honey.

References

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