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
