Review Paper on Wood Apple

Abstract

Many Indian medicinal plants with remarkable healing properties remain underutilized, and the wood apple is one edible fruit among them. Various parts of the tree—including the leaves, bark, roots, fruits, and seeds—are widely used in Ayurvedic medicine to address chronic diarrhea, dysentery, peptic ulcers, and even as a laxative, among other conditions. In addition, numerous scientific investigations have confirmed its ethnomedicinal benefits by identifying an array of bioactive compounds with antihyperglycemic, antidiabetic, anticancer, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, and other pharmacological activities. This review provides a detailed look at the nutritional content, phytochemistry, and both traditional and modern medicinal uses of the often-overlooked wood apple.

Introduction

Summary: Wood Apple (Feronia limonia)

1. Botanical & Ecological Overview

• Scientific Name: Feronia limonia

• Family: Rutaceae

• Common Names: Wood apple, elephant apple, monkey fruit, kathbel

• Habitat: Native to South India and Sri Lanka; grows in arid/semi-arid regions across India

• Characteristics: Hardy tree, drought and salinity tolerant, suitable for marginal lands

2. Fruit Description

• Shape & Size: Round to oval, 5–12.5 cm in diameter

• Rind: Hard, woody, 6 mm thick

• Pulp: Brown, mealy, aromatic; 36–70% of fruit weight

• Taste: Sour when unripe, sweet-musk when ripe

• Seeds: Numerous, rich in unsaturated fatty acids

• Shelf Life: Up to 2 months refrigerated

3. Nutritional & Phytochemical Content

• Rich in phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, terpenoids, saponins, glycosides, and essential oils

• Key nutrients:

  • Moisture (70%)

  • Protein (7.3%)

  • Sugars (7.2%)

  • Calcium, iron, phosphorus

  • High in riboflavin (77 mg/100g)

• Contains antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anticancer, and hepatoprotective compounds

4. Medicinal Uses (Ethnobotanical & Ayurvedic)

• Therapeutic effects:

  • Antidiarrheal, antipyretic, analgesic, liver tonic, cardiac tonic

  • Treats: Diarrhea, dysentery, hiccups, sore throat, gum disease, indigestion, piles, asthma, jaundice, skin cancer

• Traditional Remedies:

  • Ripe pulp: Digestive aid for children

  • Semi-ripe: Treats dysentery

  • Topical application: Pain relief for stings

  • Mixed with spices for liver and digestion health

5. Industrial & Traditional Applications

• Culinary Uses:

  • Base for juices, jellies, candies, chutneys, jams, sherbets, squashes

  • Known for a cooling effect, similar to bael

• Household Uses:

  • Rind oil used as hair fragrance, textile dye, and cleaner

  • Shells used for containers

  • Coconut oil + shell: Dandruff treatment

6. Pharmacological Activities

• Analgesic: Fruit peel extracts showed ~60% pain inhibition

• Antidiarrheal: Bark and peel extracts reduce diarrhea symptoms

• Appetite-enhancing: Nutrient-rich pulp supports digestion, boosts immunity

7. Product Development Objective

• Develop and evaluate pediatric jelly using wood apple pulp

  • Increased pulp = higher phenol content, better flavor and texture

8. Future Potential

• Market expansion needed due to low consumer awareness

• Promising candidate for value-added food products and natural health remedies

• Potential for a dedicated processing industry in India

Conclusion

Several published studies suggest that consuming wood apple may relieve a wide array of ailments. The fruit\'s diverse benefits and remarkable capabilities indicate significant potential for commercial processing into value-added products such as jams, jellies, sweets, savory chutneys, and juice. With proper focus, these products could successfully penetrate both national and international markets. However, currently, the fruit is employed only to a limited extent in product preparation. The review paper primarily highlights the nutritional, culinary, and medicinal properties of this underutilized fruit, while also outlining considerable opportunities for future research and further pharmacological investigation on wood apple.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Sakshi Lagad, Neha Mohite, Anirudha Pawar, Akanksha More. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.