Averrhoa carambola Linn.

Family :Oxalidaceae; Averrhoaceae.

Habitat _ Native to Malaysia;

cultivated throughout the warmer

parts of India, especially in Kerala.

English _ Carambola, Star Fruit,

Chinese Gooseberry.

Ayurvedic _ Karmaranga.

Unani _ Khamraq, Karmal.

Siddha/Tamil _ Tamarattai.

Folk _ Kamarakh.

Action _ Root—antidote in poisoning.

Leaf and shoot—applied

externally in ringworm, scabies,

chickenpox. Flower—vermicidal.

Fruit—laxative, antidysenteric,

antiphlogistic, febrifuge, antiinflammatory,

antispasmodic (used

in hepatic colic, bleeding piles).

Seeds—galactogenic; in large doses

act as an emmenagogue and cause

abortion.The fruits are a fairly good source

of iron but deficient in calcium. They

also contain oxalic acid and potassium

oxalate. The presence of fluorine

is also reported. A wide variation of

vitamin-C content

is recorded from different places in India.

Sugar consists mainly of glucose