Carissa carandas
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Carissa carandas flowers.JPG
|image_caption =
|genus = Carissa
|species = carandas
|authority = L.
|synonyms = {{Species list|
Arduina carandas|(L.) Baill.|
Arduina carandas|(L.) K. Schum.|
Capparis carandas|(L.) Burm.f.|
Carissa salicina|Lam.
Echites spinosus|Burm.f.|
Jasminonerium carandas|(L.) Kuntze|
Jasminonerium salicinum (Lam.) Kuntze
}}
}}
Carissa carandas is a species of flowering shrub in the family Apocynaceae. It produces berry-sized fruits that are commonly used as a condiment in Indian pickles and spices. The fruit is black and tastes sweet or sour depending on the plant. It is a hardy, drought-tolerant plant that thrives well in a wide range of soils. Common names in English include Bengal currant, Christ's thorn,
The supposed varieties congesta and paucinervia refer to the related conkerberry (C. spinarum).
Distribution
File:Bengal currant (Carissa carandas) fruits.jpg
The plant flourishes in regions with high temperatures, and it is abundant in the Western Ghats of the Konkan region in India, particularly in the states of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. It is also grown in the temperate conditions of the Himalayan Siwalik Hills of India and Nepal at elevations of {{convert|30|to|1800|m}}. In other parts of India, it is grown on a limited scale in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. It is also found in other South Asian countries like in the lowland rain forests of Sri Lanka, and in Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. It is an introduced species in the Americas and other parts of Asia.
Propagation
The plant is grown from seed sown in August and September. The first monsoon shower is planting time. Plants raised from seed start bearing two years after planting. Vegetative propagation is practiced in the form of budding and inarching. Cuttings may also succeed. Flowering starts in March and in Northern India the fruit ripens from July to September.
Chemistry
Isolation of many terpenoids has been reported.V Devmurari, P Shivanand, MB Goyani, S Vaghani, NP Jivani. Carissa Congesta: Phytochemical constituents, traditional use and pharmacological properties 2009; 3: 375-377. In particular mixture of sesquiterpenes namely carissoneJ. Reisch, R. Hussain, B. Krebs, M. Dartmann. The structure of carissone. Monatshefte fuer Chemie 121(11): 941-4 (1990). and carindone as a novel type of C31 terpenoid have been reported.B. Singh, R.P. Rastogi . The structure of carindone. Phytochemistry, 11(5):1797-801 (1972). Another ingredient is pentacyclic triterpenoid carissin.Siddiqui BS, Ghani U, Ali ST, Usmani SB, Begum S. Triterpenoidal constituents of the leaves of Carissa carandas. Natural Product Research. 2003; 17:153-8.
Uses
=Medicine and food=
File:Bedekar Mixed Pickle With Karonda.jpg
File:Carissa Carandas Chutney.jpg
Carissa carandas is rich in iron, vitamin C, vitamins A, calcium and phosphorus.[https://www.fruitsinfo.com/karonda-fruit.php Benefits of Carvanda], Fruitsinfo.com.
Its fruit is used in the ancient Indian herbal system of medicine, Ayurvedic, to treat acidity, indigestion, fresh and infected wounds, skin diseases, urinary disorders and diabetic ulcer,[https://easyayurveda.com/2016/12/13/karonda-carissa-carandas-karamarda/Carandas, benefits, research, side effects]{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Easy Ayurveda. as well as biliousness, stomach pain, constipation, anemia, skin conditions, anorexia and insanity. Leaf decoction is used to treat fever, diarrhea, and earache. The roots serve as a stomachic, an anthelmintic medicine for itches and also as insect repellents.
In India, the mature fruit is harvested for Indian pickles. It contains pectin and accordingly is a useful ingredient in chutney. Ripe fruits exude a white latex when severed from the branch.
The biggest use of this fruit is as a faux cherry in cakes, puddings and other preparations. It is easily available in the market in bottled form as pitted cherries after processing it like traditional candied murabba.
Colonial British in India also made jelly, jams and syrups from it.
=Other uses=
It was used in the Great Hedge of India (1803-1879 CE) because it is easy to grow, drought resistant, is a sturdy shrub that grows in a variety of soils, and also ideal for hedges as it grows rapidly, densely and needs little attention.[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/14186015.cms Summer brings astringently delicious karonda, a fruit that's ripe for pickling], Economic Times, June 2012.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Wikispecies}}
- [http://www.stuartxchange.org/Caranda.html Scientific medicinal information on Karonda (Carvanda)]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1036374}}