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| Latin Name |
English Name |
Sanskrit Name |
Cocos nucifera
Linn. (Arecaceae) |
Coconut |
Narikela |
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| Habitat |
 The
coconut palm thrives within the tropical zone. The major coconut areas
lie between 20° N and 20°S of the equator. Though it is found
beyond this region, even as far as 27°N and 27°S., cultivation
in these extreme regions has not been successful and the palm does
not bear fruit. The most important coconut producing countries in
the world are India, Ceylon, Malaya, Indonasia, Philippines and the
South Sea Island in the Pacific. It is cultivated to a small extant
in East Africa, West Indies and Central America.
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| Morphology
Description (Habit) |
It is a tall and
stately palm. The trunk is stout, straight or gently curved, rising
from a swollen base surrounded by a mass of roots. The leaves are
pinnatisect. The leaflets are narrow and tapering. In the axil of
each leaf is a spathe enclosing a spadix, which is orange-coloured,
and simply branched. The palm is monoecious. The female flowers are
relatively few and borne at the base of the panicle. The male flowers
are numerous and borne towards the top of the panicle. The fruit is
ovoid, three-angled, containing a single seed.
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| Principal
Constituents |
 Octanoic
acid is one of the major active constituents.
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| Pharmacology |
Octanoic acid has
antifungal activity against candida and most of the dermatophytes.
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| Toxicology |
No adverse effect
was reported after the use of this volatile compound as medicine.
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| Indications |
The fresh kernel
is consumed all over India and it forms an ingredient of many indian
food preparations. It is eaten raw or in puddings, sweets, curries
and chutneys. The milky juice is a refrigerant. Immature fruit is
cooling and diuretic. Fresh milk is successfully employed in debility,
incipient phthisis and cachetic affections.
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| Product
Range |
Evecare (MenstriCare),
Lip Balm.
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