Also known as Syzygium jambolanum, Eugenia cumini and Eugenia jambolana [2], black plum is a sweet fruit, rich in potassium, magnesium and phosphorus, that is also known for its many medicinal uses, some of them as important as the anti-cancer and anti-viral benefits that its extracts have exerted in some clinical trials and studies.

Eugenia jambolana seeds were used in Ayurvedic treatments to treat diabetic problems, and that's only the beginning, the medicinal uses of black plum fruit and its seeds go beyond, let's see some of them. Image left: Rose Apple flowers (Syzygium jambos) parque ceret sao paulo Brazil by Mauroguanandi under Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0).

EUGENIA JAMBOLANA

Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Syzygium
Common name: Jambu, Syzygium cumini, Naval pazham, Neredupandu, Jamblang, Jambolan, Jambula, Black Plum, jamun, Damson Plum, Duhat Plum, Jambolan Plum, Java Plum, Portuguese Plum, Syzygium jambolanum, Eugenia cumini and Eugenia jambolana [2].

Boerhaavia diffusa, a plant endemic from India, has been used since ancient times in Ayurvedic treatments, mainly for its laxative, purgative (mainly its root), diuretic and expectorant properties and as a natural ayurvedic medicine against gastrointestinal disorders such as colorectal cancer, gastric ulcer, and inflammatory bowel disease.