Garcinia is an important genus of the Family: Clusiaceae, which consists of evergreen species
such as Garcinia gummi-gutta, Garcinia indica, Garcinia Morella and G.pictorius.
Garcinia gummigutta (L) Robs.
Syn. Cambogia gummigutta Linn.
Garcinia cambogia (Gaetn).Desr.
Mangostana cambogia Gaertn.
Common name:
kacchampull.
Malabar
Tamarind,
Kudam
pull,
Vernacular Names: Vrukshamla(San), Bilatti-amli(H),
Seeme-hunse, Punarpuli(kan), Malbar gamboges(Eng).
A medium sized tree with drooping branches. Bark is
smooth, black; 5mm thick, exudates a yellow gum when
cut. Blaze deep yellow. Mature branches horizontal/drooping. Branchlets glabrous. Leaves
opposite, base cuneate, thick, coriaceous, margin entire, shining dark green, margin entire.
Flowers copious, polygamous, the male, female and bisexual flowers are separately seen in the
same or different plants, distinctly stalked. Berry fleshy, pome-shaped with a projection at the
tip, depressed- globose, shiny, yellow or red when ripe. Seeds 4-10 egg-shaped, flat, brown,
smooth shiny covered with a white or red aril.
Distribution
Its global distribution is restricted to the Western Ghats of Maharasthra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala
and Tamil Nadu in India also in Srilanka. In Karnataka and Kerala common throughout the
Ghats. Also cultivated in Southern India.
Medicinal Uses: Leaves, dried fruits, rind and seed oil are used. The leaves and fruits are
astringent, thermogenic, constipating and digestive. They are reported to be useful in treating
ulcers, inflammations, diarrhea, dysentery, flatulence and colic. Decoction of the rind is reported
to be used to treat rheumatism and bowel complaints. Resin used as purgative.
Note: Often cultivated for fruits. The rind of fruits is used as a condiment to flavor cuuries in
place of tamarind. Three varieties are recognized based on number of stamens and the shape and
number of grooves in fruits.
Chemical constituents: Fruits contain tartaric acid, red using sugars. Seeds contain fat. Extract
contains powerful weight loss chemical- HCA(hydroxycitric acid) which does not allow fat
formation in the body by preventing
Propagation
Flowering takes place between December and February and fruiting between March and August.
Seeds are recalcitrant. Seeds extracted from fresh fruits collected in August, are washed
thoroughly to remove pulp, shade dried and stored. These can be stored under ambient conditions
up to one month. The seeds are sown in September-October in trays filled with vermiculite and
kept moist. By removing the seed coat the germination period can be reduced to 30 to 45days
and 80 to 90 percent germination is obtained.
Trade information: Local, Regional, National and global. Fruit rind is marketed in large
quantities ( Rs.250 to 300/- per Kg). It is mixed with Garcinia indica and sold as Kokam.
Special characters: The yellow sticky latex from bark, sour tasting leaves and distinctly
grooved fruits are striking field characters.
Several studies have shown that Garcinia cambogia plays an important role in the regulation of
endogenous lipid biosynthesis. This effect is specially attributed to (-)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA)
inhibiting the enzyme ATP-dependent citrate lyase, which catalyzes the cleavage of citrate to
oxaloacetate and acetyl-CoA. Although several studies have found that the administration of G.
cambogia extracts is associated with body weight and fat loss in both experimental animals and
humans, we should be cautious when interpreting the results as other randomized, placebocontrolled clinical trials have not reported the same outcomes. Furthermore, most studies in
humans have been conducted on small samples and mainly in the short term. None of them have
shown whether these effects persist beyond 12 weeks of intervention. Therefore, there is still
little evidence to support the potential effectiveness and long-term benefits of G.cambogia
extracts. With regard to toxicity and safety, it is important to note that except in rare cases,
studies conducted in experimental animals have not reported increased mortality or significant
toxicity. Furthermore, at the doses usually administered, no differences have been reported in
terms of side effects or adverse events (those studied) in humans between individuals treated
with G. cambogia and controls.
Let's explore the research:
1998 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association: After a 12week randomized, double-blind study of overweight men and women, researchers
concluded that Garcinia cambogia did not produce significant weight or fat loss above the
placebo.
2013 review in the journal Complementary Theories in Medicine: Researchers
evaluated clinical trials that used plant extracts as potential treatment for obesity, and
found that the evidence was not convincing in most cases. One exception was a
combination of Garcinia cambogia taken with another herb called Gymnema sylvestre,
which showed a slight increase in weight loss results. It's a glimmer of hope, but surely,
more research needs to be done on the subject.
2005 study in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology: Researchers tested a high
dose of Garcinia cambogia extract on obese male rats. The good news? The rats lost
weight! The bad news? Extremely high doses seemed to cause testicular atrophy and
toxicity. Yikes!
If you do decide to hop on the latest bandwagon, whether it is Garcinia cambogia or some
other plant-based extract, proceed with caution. If you're talking any prescription medications,
talk to your doctor before adding any herbal supplement. There may be dangerous interactions.
And as researchers saw in the 2005 study on rats, there may be consequences to taking large
doses.
Garcinia indica
Syn.Brindonia indica Dupetit-Touars
Common name: Kokam
Vernacular names: Vrukshamla, Amlavetasa(San),
Kokam, Vishambli(H), Murginahuli, Devanahuli(Kan),
Punampuli(M), Indian gamboges(Eng)
Description
A slender tree, 4-10mt tall, with drooping branches and
edible fruit of moderate height. Bark dark brown,
smooth and thin. Branchlets slender and glabrous. Blaze
bright yellow. Leaves opposite on rather long petioles;
blade oblong–lanceolate or oblong. Oval 5- 10 cm long, obtuse or acute at the apex, shiny, red
when young. Flowers small, solitary, terminal, 4 merous. Orange-yellow, stalked, fleshy. Berry
globose orange-pink when ripe with persistent calyx lobes, fleshy. Seeds 5-8 compressed,
smooth, shiny and brown.
Distribution
This species endemic to the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, Goa, Karanataka, Tamil Nadu and
Kerala.In Karnataka, along the Western Ghats in D.K, Coorg, Chickmagaluru, Shimoga and
Uttara Kannada dist. Commonly cultivated for fruits.
Chemical constituent: Roots contain cambogin. Heart-wood contains euxanthone, biflavonoidsvolkensiflavone and morelloflavone. Gum contains lipids. Leaves contain L-leucine. Fruit rind
contains hydroxycitric acid, cyaniding-3-glucoside and cyaniding-3-sambubioside, garcinol,
isogarcinol and camboginol. Seed contains fatty acid.
Medicinal uses
The juice of the fruit is used as a mordant. Fat from seed considered astringent, demulcent,
emollient and soothing in cutaneous affections. It is extensively used for the preparation of
ointments, suppository and for other pharmaceutical purposes. It has reportedly been used for
local application to ulceration, fissures of lips, hands etc. The young leaves are reported to be
used as a remedy for dysentery. The ripe fruits helps to improve appetite, allays thirst, and serves
s an anthelmintic, cardiotoinic. It is also reported to be useful in bleeding, dysentery, tumors,
pains and heart diseases’
Trade information: Local, Regional, National and global. Fruit rind is marketed in large
quantities (Rs. 250 to 300/- per Kg). It is sold under the name Kokam.
Propagation
Flowering occurs during November-February and fruiting in May-August seeds need to be
collected from fresh fruits during the first week of June. The seeds have to be dried with as ash
for about 8 days prior to sowing in seed pans. Initial germination times is 40 days and about 80
percent of the seeds germinate. Temperature of 300 to 350C is ideal for germination
2003-04
Total Export of Cambogia fruit rind Qty (24,800 Kg) Value (Rs.3,323,702)
(Top 5 countries v/s Value in Rs).
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
USA
Guinea
Japan
Mexico
Kuwait
Total Export of Garcinia fruit rind Qty (110,210 Kg) Value (Rs.8,856,181)
Export of (Top 5 countries v/s Value in Rs)
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
USA
Romania
Japan
Italy
Taiwan
Between Dec.2014 and Jan 6, 2015, 10shipments
of Garcinia cambogia extracts have gone from
Bengaluru to various countries
Date Worth/quantity
Jan 6
Rs.1498062.50
Jan 6
Rs.735780
Jan 5
1700kg
Destinaion
Japan
US
US
NTFP/MFP collected and auctioned by LMPS Society, Koppa Division
Year
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Name of the NTFP
Muruganahulli(G.indica)
Punarpuli(G.cambogia)
Muruganahulli(G.indica)
Muruganahulli(G.indica)
Muruganahulli(G.indica)
Muruganahulli(G.indica)
Quantity in quintal
936
32
185
200
31
97
Chickmagalore Division
2012-13
Muruganahulli(G.indica)
439kgs