Exploring the phytochemical constituents of Aegle marmelos (bael) and their therapeutic potential against chronic diseases

Authors

  • Lopamudra Sahoo Department of Zoology, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
  • Yashaswi Nayak Department of Zoology, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
  • Sanjib Kumar Mohanty Department of Zoology, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20250495

Keywords:

Aegle marmelos, Anti-microbial property, Phytochemical constituents

Abstract

Aegle marmelos (Bael), a highly esteemed plant in traditional medicine, is recognized for its remarkable therapeutic properties, attributed to its rich and diverse phytochemical composition. The plant contains bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acids, coumarins and essential oils, which contribute to its pharmacological activities. These compounds exhibit potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects, positioning Bael as a promising natural remedy for managing chronic diseases. Bael has demonstrated significant efficacy in regulating blood glucose levels, enhancing insulin sensitivity and protecting pancreatic beta cells, making it an effective agent in diabetes management. Additionally, its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities are essential in combating oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, which are key drivers of metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders. Bael’s antimicrobial properties further expand its potential to address infections and gastrointestinal issues. However, the integration of Aegle marmelosinto mainstream medicine faces challenges, including variability in its phytochemical composition, lack of standardized formulations and insufficient clinical trials to validate its safety and efficacy. This review aims to comprehensively explore the phytochemical constituents of Aegle marmelosand their therapeutic potential, particularly against chronic diseases. By identifying research gaps and future directions, it seeks to support the development of Bael as a reliable, standardized and effective therapeutic agent for modern healthcare.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Bhardwaj RL, Nandal U. Nutritional and therapeutic potential of bael (Aegle marmelos Corr.) fruit juice: a review. Nutrition & Food Science. 2015;45(6):895-919. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-05-2015-0058

Brijesh S, Daswani P, Tetali P, Antia N, Birdi T. Studies on the antidiarrhoeal activity of Aegle marmelos unripe fruit: Validating its traditional usage. BMC Complemen and Altern Med. 2009;9:1-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-9-47

Chandrasekara A, Daugelaite J, Shahidi F. DNA scission and LDL cholesterol oxidation inhibition and antioxidant activities of Bael (Aegle marmelos) flower extracts. J Trad Comp Med. 2018;8(3):428-35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2017.08.010

Choudhary Y, Saxena A, Kumar Y, Kumar S, Pratap V. Phytochemistry, pharmacological and traditional uses of Aegle marmelos. Pharmaceutical and Biosciences J. 2017;20:27-33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20510/ukjpb/5/i5/166553

Das S, Sarkar A, Seth A, Gupta N, Agrawal RC. Evaluation of in-vitro antibacterial potential of ripe fruits of Aegle marmelos. Int J Pharm Pharma Sci. 2012;4(3):179-81.

Gupta R, Sharma V, Singh P. Hypoglycemic activity of Aegle marmelosleaves: An updated review. J Ethnopharmacol. 2020;259:112934.

Gupta V, Bhati D, Khandelwal T. Development and Quality Evaluation of Bael (Aegle marmelos L.) based Blended Ready-To-Serve. Syst Rev in Pharmacy. 2023;14(5):89.

Khandare MS. Bael (Aegle marmelos) a Kalpavraksha. J of Med Plant Stud. 2016;4(2):13-4.

Kirtikar KR, Basu BD. Indian medicinal plants, 2nd edn, Periodical experts book agency. Delhi. 1991;2(2):1488.

Kumar V, Singh AP, Pathak S, Verma RS, Srivastava RK. Characteristic and variability of important genotypes of bael (Aegle marmelos) using chemical composition and leaf morphology. Syst Rev in Pharmacy. 2024;7:67-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5958/0975-6892.2024.00039.0

Kumar KS, Umadevi M, Bhowmik D, Singh DM, Dutta AS. Recent trends in medicinal uses and health benefits of Indian traditional herbs Aegle marmelos. The Pharma Innovation. 2012;1(4):56-8.

Kumar S, Mehta A, Gupta P. Anthelmintic properties of Bael seeds: A traditional perspective. Phytoth Res. 2022;36(3):908-14.

Kumar S, Mehta A, Gupta P. Gastroprotective effects of Aegle marmelos fruit pulp. Phytomed. 2022;91:153676.

Lakht-e-Zehra A, Dar NG, Saleem N, Soomro UA, Afzal W, Naqvi B, et al. Nutritional exploration of leaves, seed and fruit of bael (Aegle marmelos L.) grown in Karachi region. Pak J Biochem Mol Biol. 2015;48(3):61-5.

Manandhar B, Paudel KR, Sharma B, Karki R. Phytochemical profile and pharmacological activity of Aegle marmelos. J of Integ Med. 2018;16(3):153-63. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joim.2018.04.007

Mehta P, Singh D, Sharma, K. Antioxidant properties of Bael and its relevance in chronic diseases. Current Pharm Design. 2022;28(3):502-12.

Mehta P, Singh D, Sharma K. Ethnobotanical applications of Aegle marmelos: Insights from rural communities. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 2023;22:45-58.

Monika S, Thirumal M, Kumar PR. Phytochemical and biological review of Aegle marmelos. Future science OA. 2023;9(3):849. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2144/fsoa-2022-0068

Mujeeb F, Bajpai P, Pathak N. Phytochemical evaluation, antimicrobial activity and determination of bioactive components from leaves of Aegle marmelos. BioMed Res Int. 2014;4(1):497606. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/497606

Nirupama GS, Padmasri G, Ramesh RV, Vasanthi M. Comparative analysis of phytochemical constituents present in various parts of Aegle marmelos. Asian Pacific J Trop Dis. 2012;2:774-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2222-1808(12)60263-1

Patel DK, Patel K, Rahman M, Chaudhary S. Therapeutic potential of “Aegeline,” an important phytochemical of Aegle marmelos: Current health perspectives for the treatment of disease. Nanomedicine for bioactives: Healthcare applications. 2020:383-92 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1664-1_14

Wali A, Gupta M. Essential oils and post distilled wastes of Aegle marmelos reveals potent antioxidant potential for use in food industry. Waste and Biomass Valorization. 2024;10:1-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-024-02478-4

Patil R, Rao P, Sharma S. Ayurvedic significance of Bael fruit in gastrointestinal disorders. J Ayur Integ Med. 2022;13(4):211-9.

Rahman S, Parvin R. Therapeutic potential of Aegle marmelos an overview. Asian Pac J Trop Dis. 2014 ;4(1):71-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2222-1808(14)60318-2

Rajan S, Gokila M, Jency P, Brindha P, Sujatha RK. Antioxidant and phytochemical properties of Aegle marmelos fruit pulp. Int J Curr Pharm Res. 2011;3(2):65-70.

Rao K, Verma S, Gupta R. Traditional uses of Aegle marmelosin rural healthcare systems. Journal of Herbal Med. 2021;30:100548.

Rao K, Verma S, Gupta R. Antiviral potential of Aegle marmelosagainst emerging pathogens. J of Virology & Antiviral Res. 2021;5(2):34-45.

Sekar DK, Kumar G, Karthik L, Rao KB. A review on pharmacological and phytochemical properties of Aegle marmelos (Rutaceae). Asian J of Plant Sci and Res. 2011;1(2):8-17.

Sharma A, Kumar R, Singh V. Phytochemical composition and biological activities of Aegle marmelos. Front in Plant Sci. 2022;13:832445.

Singanan V, Singanan M, Begum, H. The hepatoprotective effect of bael leaves (Aegle marmelos) in alcohol induced liver injury in albino rats. Inter J of Sci & Technol. 2007;2(2):83-92.

Singh AK, Chaurasiya AK. Post harvest management and value addition in bael (Aegle marmelos Corr.). International J Interdiscipl and Multidisciplin Stud. 2014;1(9):65-77.

Singh N, Prasad S, Chauhan P. Toxicological evaluation of Aegle marmelos: A safety assessment. Toxicology Reports. 2023;10:456-62.

Singh R, Rao HS. Hepatoprotective effect of the pulp/seed of Aegle marmelos correa ex Roxb against carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in rats. Int J of Green Pharm. 2008;2(4):232. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-8258.44740

Kolkar KP, Malabadi RB, Sadiya MR, Chalannavar RK. Updates on some medicinal and ornamental plants-Ayurvedic medicines. World J Adv Res and Rev. 2024;23(1):111-47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2024.23.1.1893

Downloads

Published

2025-02-25

How to Cite

Sahoo, L., Nayak, Y., & Mohanty, S. K. (2025). Exploring the phytochemical constituents of Aegle marmelos (bael) and their therapeutic potential against chronic diseases. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, 14(2), 316–323. https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20250495

Issue

Section

Review Articles