amritaphala :

Pyrus communis, known as the European pear or common pear, is a species of pear native to central and eastern Europe and southwest Asia.

Taxonomical Classification

Kingdom: Plantae - Plants
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Pyrus L.
Species: Communis Linn.

VERNACULAR NAMES

English: pear Wild Pear, Common pear, European Pear, Bhutan Pear
Hindi: नाशपाती Nashpati
Telugu: Berikaya, Beripandu
Malayalam: Salvag

Definition

कषायमधुरंटङ्कंवातलंगुरुशीतलम्।

Synonyms

Synonyms in Ayurveda: amritphala, nasapati, tanka

Rasa: Kashaya Madhura
Guna: Laghu
Veerya: Sheetha
Vipaka: Katu
Karma: Kaphahara Pittahara

Cultivation:

European pear trees are not quite as hardy as apples, but nearly so. However, they do require some winter chilling to produce fruit. A number of Lepidoptera caterpillarsfeed on pear tree leaves.

For best and most consistent quality, European pears are picked when the fruit matures, but before they are ripe. Fruit allowed to ripen on the tree often drops before it can be picked, and in any event will be hard to pick without bruising. Pears store (and ship) well in their mature but unripe state if kept cold, and can be ripened later, a process called bletting. Some varieties, such as Beurre dAnjou, ripen only with exposure to cold.

Fermented pear juice is called perry. In Britain, the place name "Perry" can indicate the historical presence of pear trees.

Relatively few cultivars of European or Asian pears are widely grown worldwide. Only about 20-25 European and 10-20 Asian cultivars represent virtually all the pears of commerce. Almost all European cultivars were chance seedlings or selections originating in western Europe, mostly France. The Asian cultivars all originated in Japan and China. Bartlett (Williams) is the most common pear cultivar in the world, representing about 75% of US pear production

Phytochemistry:

Arbutin (hydroquinone-β-D-glucopyranoside) is a

natural phenolic glucoside found in various plant

species of diverse families such as Rosaceae

(Pyrus communis Linn.)[16]. The leaves contain

arbutin, isoquercitrin, sorbitol, ursolic acid,

astragalin and tannin[21].The bark contains

friedelin, epifriedelanol and beta-sitosterol[14].

Phloridzin is present in the root bark[28].

Flavonoid glycosides have been isolated and

identified: quercetin 3-O-β-D glucopyranoside,

kaempferol 3-O-β-D (6”-O-α-Lrhamnopyranosyl)-glucopyranoside and quercetin

3-O-β-D-(6”-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-

glucopyranoside. Sterols and triterpenes (βsitosterol and α-amyrin), phenolics and

coumarins are present in Pyrus communis Linn.

Flowers. Chlorogenic acid is also isolated and

identified from Pyrus communis Linn. flowers.

The triterpenoids were isolated from the stem

bark of Pyrus communis Linn.

Parts used for medicinal purpose

Fruit, ,

Morphology:

Pear is an edible fruit native to central and eastern Europe and southwest Asia. Often planted in orchards, the familiar pear tree is a small-medium sized tree. The alternate leaves are shiny and usually oval but pointed, abd finely toothed. The highly distinctive bark is grey and square-cracked. Buds are brown and pointed. Clusters of showy white flowers, 1.5-2 cm across, appear before or with the leaves.

Geographical distribution:

Distributed in the temperate regions of Europe and West Asia grown in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir.

General Use:

High cholesterol: Eat stewed pears spiced with cinnamon to lower cholesterol.

Gallstones: Dilute half a cup of pear juice in half a cup of hot water, add a teaspoon of honey and drink three times daily as a preventative or home remedy for gallstones. (Note: gallstones can be extremely dangerous and may require surgical treatment. However, you could try this remedy while you wait for your diagnosis and surgical treatment.)

Bone health: Pears are a good source of boron, a trace mineral needed for bone health. Include pears in your diet for bone health.

Diarrhoea: Eat one just-ripe pear (it should not be overripe or have brown spots) to help control diarrhoea.

Low appetite or abdominal discomfort: Eat stewed pear spiced with ginger, cardamom and nutmeg.

Excess thirst: Eat slices of pear with a squeeze of lime to cool and calm excess thirst.

Urinary tract infection: Eat two pears in the morning on an empty stomach