Diospyros malabarica
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID644017635a097931220819 |
| Scientific name | Diospyros malabarica |
| Authority | (Desr.) Kostel. |
| First published in | Allg. Med.-Pharm. Fl. 3: 1099 (1834) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among the tribal peoples of the Western Ghats (India), Warrier et al. (1995) note that fresh leaf decoction is taken as a hot tea to relieve cough, fever and mild digestive upset. In the Munda communities of Odisha, a bark decoction is administered for acute dysentery and diarrhoea (Mishra, 2014). In northern Laos and parts of the Shan State of Myanmar, healers mash fresh leaves into a poultice and apply it to cuts, ulcerated skin and insect bites (Khammas et al., 2013). Sri Lankan traditional practitioners also prepare a mild fruit infusion, boiled briefly and cooled, to be used as an astringent gargle for sore throats, mouth ulcers and to tighten inflamed gums (Fernando, 2015). The fruit can also be steeped to make a refreshing tea taken after meals to aid digestion (Rao et al., 2002).
For a leaf tea, combine 5 g of fresh leaves (≈2 g dried) with 200 ml water, boil gently and simmer 10 minutes before straining; drink warm up to three times daily. The bark decoction uses 4 g dried bark per 250 ml water and simmers 15 minutes. A fruit infusion is made by adding 10 g sliced ripe fruit to 300 ml boiling water, steeping 8 minutes and cooling before use. Because of astringency, those with a sensitive stomach or who are pregnant should limit consumption to one small cup per day and seek advice if nausea or heartburn occurs.
Chemical analyses of Diospyros malabarica show a rich set of phenolic compounds. The leaves are high in tannins, notably gallotannins and ellagitannins, and contain flavonoids. The bark is rich in proanthocyanidins and triterpenoids such as betulinic acid, while the fruit adds gallic and caffeic acids. These constituents are documented in Indian pharmacognosy (Rao et al., 2002) and recent phytochemical surveys (Singh & Yadav, 2018). The mix of astringent tannins and antimicrobial flavonoids explains its traditional use for cough, dysentery and wound healing.
Contemporary studies confirm anti‑inflammatory and antibacterial effects of leaf and bark extracts against gastrointestinal pathogens. Standardized extracts are sold in Ayurvedic markets for digestive and respiratory support, and the fruit is sold as a functional beverage in regional health shops. The plant remains a staple in folk medicine, and its fruit is also used locally in jams and preserves.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Wood: heartwood boards and veneers valued for cabinetry, fine furniture, carving, and high‑density flooring and structural members.
- Natural food color: ripe fruit pulp is processed as a purple/red color for sweets and confections.
Industrial and craft applications:
- Heavy construction and durable carpentry: the species produces very heavy, hard, decay‑resistant timber with long service life, suitable for flooring, sleepers, bridges, and outdoor carpentry when species‑specific standards are applied.
- Specialty turnery and carving: the fine, uniform texture and stability of the wood are preferred for turning and carving.
- Millwork and joinery: dense heartwood with good dimensional stability lends itself to precision joinery and millwork; workers should expect dulling effects on cutting edges due to high hardness.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
- Ripe fruit pulp is employed as a direct or processed coloring agent in regional sweets and confectionery; the colorant is typically labeled by common name (e.g., “GAUB/EBONY FRUIT COLOR”) when used as an ingredient in local food chains.
Colorants and tanning:
- Fruit pulp contains anthocyanins used for non‑medicinal coloring of foods; dyeing uses may be described in ethnobotanical literature but require cross‑checks to avoid species‑level ambiguity with Diospyros spp.
Wood and fiber:
- Heartwood is valued for timber on the basis of high specific gravity, hardness, and resistance to decay; fibers are suitable for dense structural uses where durability and dimensional stability are required.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
- No documented non‑medicinal fragrance or cosmetic applications for this species are confirmed in the sources consulted.
Properties relevant to use:
- Wood: very high specific gravity (≈1.0 or higher air‑dry), extreme hardness and durability, good dimensional stability; naturally dark coloration confers decorative value without added dyes.
- Fruit colorant: anthocyanin content imparts purple/red hues; stability depends on pH and processing conditions; used as a natural food color.
Standards and regulation:
- For timber, consult national grading rules for hardwoods, building codes for structural timbers, and recognized standards for flooring and joinery performance.
- For food color applications, follow national food additive and labeling regulations governing natural colorants.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Typically sourced from natural forests in South and Southeast Asia; due to high natural durability and limited supply, high‑value, long‑service uses are recommended over short‑life applications; life‑cycle and chain‑of‑custody verification should be applied to ensure legal, sustainable origin.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Diospyros biflora | Blanco | Fl. Filip. : 303 (1837) |
| Diospyros citrifolia | Wall. ex A.DC. | Prodr. 8: 285 (1844) |
| Diospyros glutinifera | (Roxb.) Wall. | Numer. List : n.º 4123 B (1831) |
| Diospyros glutinosa | J.Koenig ex Roxb. | Fl. Ind. ed. 1832 , 2: 533 (1832) |
| Diospyros malabarica var. siamensis | (Hochr.) Phengklai | Thai Forest Bull., Bot. 11: 46 (1978) |
| Diospyros peregrina | (Gaertn.) Gürke | Nat. Pflanzenfam. 4(1): 164 (1891) |
| Diospyros peregrina f. javanica | Kosterm. | Ceylon J. Sci., Biol. Sci. 12: 104 (1977) |
| Diospyros siamensis | Hochr. | Pl. Bogor. Exs. : 36 (1904) |
| Embryopteris gelatinifera | G.Don | Gen. Hist. 4: 41 (1837) |
| Embryopteris glutinifera | Roxb. | Pl. Coromandel 1: 49 (1796) |
| Embryopteris glutinifolia | hort. ex Link | Enum. Hort. Berol. Alt. 2: 433 (1822) |
| Embryopteris peregrina | Gaertn. | Fruct. Sem. Pl. 1: 145 (1788) |
| Diospyros embryopteris | Pers. | Syn. Pl. 2: 624 (1807) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Arabic | خرمال مالاباري |
| Bengali | দেশি গাব |
| Indonesian | culiket |
| Japanese | ベンガルガキ |
| Kannada | ಎಬನಿ ಮರ |
| Malayalam | black-and-white ebony |
| Malayalam | പനച്ചി |
| Malayalam | പനഞ്ഞി |
| Malayalam | പനച്ച |
| Malayalam | pale moon ebony |
| Malayalam | malabar ebony |
| Malayalam | gaub tree |
| Marathi | टेंभुरणी |
| Punjabi | ਡੀਓਸਪਾਈਰੋਸ ਮਾਲਾਬਾਰੀਕਾ |
| Tamil | தும்பிலி மரம் |
| Thai | ต้นมะพลับ |
| Thai | มะพลับ |
| Chinese | 法国柿 |
| Chinese | 高棉黑柿 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indian Subcontinent
- Assam
- Bangladesh
- East Himalaya
- India
- Nepal
- Sri Lanka
-
Indo-China
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Thailand
-
Malesia
- Jawa
- Lesser Sunda Islands
- Malaya
- Sulawesi
- Sumatera
-
Indian Subcontinent
-
Southern America click to expand
-
Caribbean
- Trinidad-Tobago
-
Caribbean
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000649282 |
| Tropicos | 100324768 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:322658-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2770098 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 1049036 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 413755 |
| IPNI | 322658-1 |
| iNaturalist | 427523 |
| GBIF | 7295796 |
| Freebase | /m/0h53bzb |
| EPPO | DOSMA |
| USDA GRIN | 14299 |
| Wikipedia | Diospyros_malabarica |
| CMAUP | NPO12233 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Aporphines | |||||
| (6aR)-1,2,10-trimethoxy-6,6-dimethyl-5,6,6a,7-tetrahydro-4H-dibenzo[de,g]quinolin-6-ium-11-ol | 92169951 | Click to see | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (6aR)-2,10-dimethoxy-6,6-dimethyl-5,6,6a,7-tetrahydro-4H-dibenzo[de,g]quinolin-6-ium-1,11-diol | 929259 | Click to see | 342.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Laurifoline | 12305611 | Click to see | 342.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives / Gallic acids | |||||
| Gallic Acid | 370 | Click to see | 170.12 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97175-9 |
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / Methoxyphenols | |||||
| 3,4-Dimethoxy-5-hydroxybenzaldehyde | 141513 | Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1OC)O)C=O | 182.17 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Hydrocarbons / Saturated hydrocarbons / Alkanes | |||||
| Hexacosane | 12407 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC | 366.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97175-9 |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans | |||||
| 4-[(1R,3aS,4S,6aS)-4-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)tetrahydro-1H,3H-furo[3,4-c]furan-1-yl]-2-methoxyphenol | 44144290 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)O | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 4-[(3R,3aS,6R,6aS)-3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1,3,3a,4,6,6a-hexahydrofuro[3,4-c]furan-6-yl]-2-methoxyphenol | 70695728 | Click to see | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 4-[(3S,3aR,6R,6aR)-3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1,3,3a,4,6,6a-hexahydrofuro[3,4-c]furan-6-yl]-2-methoxyphenol | 5315338 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)O | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Piperitol | 10247670 | Click to see | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Pluviatilol | 70695727 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)O | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Prenylpiperitol | 91884985 | Click to see CC(=CCOC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)OC)C | 424.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans / Tetrahydrofuran lignans / 7,9-epoxylignans | |||||
| 4-[(2S,3R,4S)-4-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylmethyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]-2-methoxyphenol | 101904398 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2C(C(CO2)CC3=CC4=C(C=C3)OCO4)CO)O | 358.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acids and conjugates / Long-chain fatty acids | |||||
| Palmitic Acid | 985 | Click to see | 256.42 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acyl glycosides / Fatty acyl glycosides of mono- and disaccharides | |||||
| (2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-((Z)-hex-3-enoxy)-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 5318045 | Click to see | 262.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Lauroside D | 101165165 | Click to see | 390.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty alcohols | |||||
| 1-Hexacosanol | 68171 | Click to see | 382.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97175-9 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty alcohols / Long-chain fatty alcohols | |||||
| (7S)-7-hydroxynonadecan-2-one | 162914697 | Click to see | 298.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)83935-7 |
| Nonadecan-7-ol-2-on | 129650836 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCCCC(CCCCC(=O)C)O | 298.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)83935-7 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty amides / N-acyl amines | |||||
| beta-Sanshool | 6506170 | Click to see CC=CC=CC=CCCC=CC(=O)NCC(C)C | 247.38 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| gamma-Sanshool | 6440615 | Click to see | 273.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Hydroxy-alpha-sanshool | 10084135 | Click to see CC=CC=CC=CCCC=CC(=O)NCC(C)(C)O | 263.37 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Hydroxy-Beta-Sanshool | 10220912 | Click to see | 263.37 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| N-Isobutyl-2,4,8,10,12-tetradecapentaenamide | 5318518 | Click to see | 273.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Sanshool | 6440935 | Click to see | 247.38 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Acyclic monoterpenoids | |||||
| (-)-Citronellol | 7793 | Click to see CC(CCC=C(C)C)CCO | 156.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (R)-(+)-Citronellal | 75427 | Click to see CC(CCC=C(C)C)CC=O | 154.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (R)-(+)-citronellic acid | 6999957 | Click to see | 170.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Geraniol | 637566 | Click to see CC(=CCCC(=CCO)C)C | 154.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Menthane monoterpenoids | |||||
| (+)-Limonene | 440917 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides | |||||
| (2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(1S,4S,5R)-4-hydroxy-4-[(E,3R)-3-hydroxybut-1-enyl]-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexyl]oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 21630913 | Click to see CC1CC(CC(C1(C=CC(C)O)O)(C)C)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O | 390.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(3S)-3,7-dimethyloct-6-enoxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 101854158 | Click to see | 318.41 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| (1R,3aR,5aR,5bR,7aR,9R,11aR,11bR,13aR,13bR)-9-hydroxy-5a,5b,8,8,11a-pentamethyl-1-prop-1-en-2-yl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,7a,9,10,11,11b,12,13,13a,13b-hexadecahydrocyclopenta[a]chrysene-3a-carboxylic acid | 12358881 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97175-9 |
| (1R,3aR,5aS,5bR,7aR,9R,11aR,11bR,13aS,13bR)-5a-(hydroxymethyl)-3a,5b,8,8,11a-pentamethyl-1-prop-1-en-2-yl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,7a,9,10,11,11b,12,13,13a,13b-hexadecahydrocyclopenta[a]chrysen-9-ol | 11744095 | Click to see | 442.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)90674-5 |
| (4aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,11R,12S,12aR,14bS)-4,4,6a,6b,8a,11,12,14b-octamethyl-1,2,4a,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,12a-dodecahydropicen-3-one | 22296838 | Click to see | 422.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(97)01020-0 |
| 3beta-20(29)-Lupene-3,27-diol | 73082705 | Click to see | 442.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)90674-5 |
| Lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid, 3beta-hydroxy- | 2371 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97175-9 |
| Lup-20(29)-en-3-ol, (3beta)- | 521518 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97175-9 |
| Lupeol | 259846 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97175-9 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| (3R,8R,9R,10S,13R,14R,17S)-17-[(2R,5R)-5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl]-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 162965363 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97175-9 |
| 17-(5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 86821 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)97175-9 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| (2R,3S,4S,5R,6R)-2-[[(2R,3R,4R)-3,4-dihydroxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]oxymethyl]-6-(2-methylpropoxy)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 101109242 | Click to see | 368.38 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[2-[(2R,5S)-5-ethenyl-5-methyloxolan-2-yl]propan-2-yloxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 101093955 | Click to see | 332.39 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(3S,6S)-2,2,6-Trimethyl-6-vinyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-3-yl]beta-D-glucopyranoside | 101093957 | Click to see CC1(C(CCC(O1)(C)C=C)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)C | 332.39 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Icariside F2 | 14079045 | Click to see C1C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OCC3=CC=CC=C3)O)O)O)O)(CO)O | 402.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Phenolic glycosides | |||||
| Arbutin | 440936 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1O)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O | 272.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Phenylketones / Alkyl-phenylketones | |||||
| Xanthoxylin | 66654 | Click to see | 196.20 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzodioxoles | |||||
| 1,3-Benzodioxole-5-carboxylic acid | 7196 | Click to see | 166.13 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Quinolines and derivatives / Furanoquinolines | |||||
| 7,8-Dimethoxyfuro[2,3-b]quinoline | 71089525 | Click to see COC1=C(C2=NC3=C(C=CO3)C=C2C=C1)OC | 229.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Gamma-Fagarine | 107936 | Click to see | 229.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Skimmianine | 6760 | Click to see COC1=C(C2=C(C=C1)C(=C3C=COC3=N2)OC)OC | 259.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |