Home | Herbal Plants | Mangifera indica L.

Sections

Newsletter
Email:
Poll: Like Our New Look?
Do you like our new look & feel?

Mangifera indica L.

Font size: Decrease font Enlarge font

It is a matter of astonishment to many that the delicious mango, one of the most celebrated of Indian fruits, is a member of the family Anacardiaceae–notorious for embracing a number of highly poisonous plants.

Vernacular name: State Flower of Chandigarh, State Tree of Maharashtra

English: Mango

Hindi: Aam

Kannada: Mavina mara

Konkani: Ambo

Malayalam: Mangga

Manipuri: Heinou

Marathi: Amba

Sanskrit: Amra Chuta

Tamil: Ma

Telugu: Mamidi

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Plantae – plantes, Planta, Vegetal, plants

Subkingdom: Viridiplantae

Infrakingdom: Streptophyta – land plants

Superdivision: Embryophyta

Division: Tracheophyta – vascular plants, tracheophytes

Subdivision: Spermatophytina – spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames

Class: Magnoliopsida

Superorder: Rosanae

Order: Sapindales

Family: Anacardiaceae – cashews

Genus: Mangifera L. – mango

Species: Mangifera indica L. – mango

Phytogeography: It is native to Indian subcontinent; cultivated throughout the tropical regions of the world.

Plant description: The mango tree is erect, 30-100 feet high, with a broad, rounded canopy which may, with age, attain 100-125 feet in width, or a more upright, oval, relatively slender crown. In deep soil, the taproot descends to a depth of 20 feet, the profuse, wide-spreading, feeder root system also sends down many anchor roots which penetrate for several feet. The tree is long-lived, some specimens being known to be 300 years old and still fruiting.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, usually crowded at branchlets end, ovate lanceolate, cuneate at base, entire, undulate at margins, acuminate at apex, 10 – 20 × 4 – 6 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, shiny and dark green above.

Flowers: Inflorescence a panicle, pubescent; flowers polygamous, many. Calyx campanulate, 5-lobed. Petals 4 or 5, up to 5 mm long, ovate, cream-coloured. Stamens as many as petals, only one is fertile. Ovary 1-loculed; ovule 1.

Fruits or seeds: Drupes are obliquely oblong, up to 15 cm long, green turning yellow when ripe; mesocarp fleshy; endocarp hard and fibrous.

Flowering season: January-March

Propagation: Seed, grafting

Parts used: Bark, leaves, fruits, seed kernel, flowers

Phytochemical Constituents: a-phellandrene; 29-hydroxy mangiferonic acid; 3-hydroxy-2-(4’-methylbenzoyl)-chromone; 3-ketodammar-24(e)-en-20s,26-diol; 3-methoxy-2-(4’-methyl benzoyl)-chromone; 4-phenyl gallate; 6-phenyl-n-hexyl gallate; Alanine; Anthraquinone; C-24 epimers of cycloart-25 en 3β,24,27-triol; Cardiac glycosides; Carotenoids; Catechin; Cellulose; Cis-15-octadecadienoic acid; Cycloart-24-en-3β,26diol; Cycloartan-3β,24,27-triol; Cycloartan-3β-30-diol; Dihydrogallic acid; Elemene; Enzymes; Ethyl gallate; Flavonoid; Friedelin; Gallic acid; Glycine; Hemicellulose; Humulene; Indicoside A; Indicoside B; Isoambolic acid; Isomangiferin gallate; Isomangiferin; Kaempferol 3-O-glc; Kinic acid; Limonene; Linalool; Lipids; Manghopanal; Mangiferin gallate; Mangiferin; Mangiferin; Mangiferolate A; Mangiferolate B; Mangiferolic acid; Manglupenone; Mangocoumarin; Mangoleanone; Mangostin; Mangsterol; Methyl gallate; Nerol; Nheneicosane; N-octyl gallate; N-pentyl gallate; N-propyl gallate; N-tetacosane; N-triacontane; Ocimene; Pectin; Protein; Protocatechic acid; Quercetin 3-O-araf; Quercetin 3-O-arap; Quercetin 3-O-gal; Quercetin 3-O-glc; Quercetin 3-O-rha; Quercetin 3-O-xyl; Quercetin; Reducing sugars; Saponin; Shikimic acid; Steroids; Tannin; Terpinolene; Tetracyclic triterpenoids; Vitamin A; Vitamin C; Vitamin E; Xanthophylls; g-aminobutyric acid; δ-3-carene;

Pharmacological actions: Analgesic; Anthelmintic; Antiallergic; Antiatherogenic; Antiausterity; Antibacterial; Anticarcinogenic; Antidiabetic; Antidiarrhoeal; Antidysenteric; Anti-inflammatory; Antimicrobial; Anti-nociceptive; Antipyretic; Antioxidant; Antisalmonella; Antitumor; Antiviral; Astringent; Cytotoxic; Febrifuge; Gastroprotective; Hepatoprotective; Hypoglycaemic; Immunomodulatory; Laxative;

Medicinal uses: Alzheimer´s disease; Arthritic; Bee stings; Dementia; Diabetes type 2; Diarrhoea; Dysentery; Fever; Haemoptysis; Inflammation; Intestinal haemorrhage; Mouth infections; Pain; Scorpion stings; Scurvy; Sore throat; Stroke; Typhoid;

Fruit kernel has anthelmintic properties; unripe fruits are antidysenteric, astringent, laxative and also useful in intestinal haemorrhage.

Mango juice is snuffed to stop nasal bleeding. Decoction of fruit is beneficial in diarrhoea and chronic dysentery.

Other uses: Mango is the most delicious of Indian fruits. The ripened fruits are used in the preparation of fruit jams, toffee and fruit drinks; unripe fruits are also extensively used in making pickles and to keep as preserves. Wood is used for making furniture.

 Mango leaves are hung on the door in several occasions in a Hindu home. It is considered sacred and also used in the ‘Kalas Puja’. Dried branches are used during ‘havan’ in any Hindu ritual. Tree is worshipped to please Guru Brihaspati to obtain certain results.

References

Aderibigbe A.O., Emudianughe T.S. and Lawal B.A.S., 1999, “Antihyperglycaemic effect of Mangifera indica in rat,” Phytotherapy Research; 13(6): 504-507. [Web Reference]

Aiyelaagbe O.O. and Paul M., 2009, “Osamudiamen. "Phytochemical screening for active compounds in Mangifera indica leaves from Ibadan, Oyo State,” Plant Sci Res; 2(1): 11-13. [Web Reference]

Debta M.R., Dutta D.P. and Srivastva S.K., “CHANDIGARH,” Botanical Survey of India, C.G.O. Complex, Salt Lake City, Kolkata. [Web Reference]

Doughari J.H. and Manzara S., 2008, “In vitro antibacterial activity of crude leaf extracts of Mangifera indica Linn.,” African journal of Microbiology research; 2(1): 67-72. [Web Reference]

García M.d.C.I., 2017, “Alzheimer´ s disease, vascular dementia and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Therapeutic implications,” Diss. Universidad de Cádiz;. [Web Reference]

Garrido G., et al., 2001, “Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Mangifera indica L. extract (Vimang),” Phytotherapy research; 15(1): 18-21. [Web Reference]

ITIS, 2017, “Mangifera indica L.,” Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database, March 13, 2017. [Web Reference]

Jayanthi J., “MAHARASTRA,” Botanical Survey of India, Western Regional Centre, Pune. [Web Reference]

Kamble V.A., Somkuwar D.O. and Wankhade S.J., 2016, “Chemical composition, antioxidant and antisalmonella activity of Mangifera indica L. flower and seed kernel extracts,” International Current Pharmaceutical Journal; 5(10): 82-93. [Web Reference]

Makare N., Bodhankar S. and Rangari V., 2001, “Immunomodulatory activity of alcoholic extract of Mangifera indica L. in mice,” Journal of Ethnopharmacology; 78(2): 133-137. [Web Reference]

Nguyen H.X., et al., 2016, “Chemical Constituents of Mangifera indica and Their Antiausterity Activity against the PANC-1 Human Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line,” Journal of Natural Products; 79(8): 2053-2059. [Web Reference]

Nwoke K.U., Nneli R.O. and Konyefom N.G., 2016, “Evaluating the Anti-Pyretic and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of the Ethanolic Extract of Mangifera Indica (Mango) Bark in Albino Wistar Rats,” Journal of Medical Science And Clinical Research; 4(2):9134-9140. [Web Reference]

Ojewole J.A.O., 2005, “Antiinflammatory, analgesic and hypoglycemic effects of Mangifera indica Linn. (Anacardiaceae) stem-bark aqueous extract,” Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology; 27(8): 547-554. [Web Reference]

Ribeiro S.M.R., et al., 2008, “Phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of Brazilian mango (Mangifera indica L.) varieties,” Food Chemistry; 110(3): 620-626. [Web Reference]

Sairam K., et al., 2003, “Evaluation of anti-diarrhoeal activity in seed extracts of Mangifera indica,” Journal of ethnopharmacology; 84(1): 11-15. [Web Reference]

Thambi P.A., et al., 2016, “Antimicrobial efficacy of mango peel powder and formulation of recipes using mango peel powder (Mangifera indica L.),” International Journal of Home Science; 2(2): 155-161. [Web Reference]

Rate this article
4.00