MANILKARA ZAPOTA
INDIAN
NAME =Sapota /Chiku [Chicle gum]
Manilkara zapota
is a well-known tree popular for its soil-coloured fruits named ‘Sapota’ in mot
Indian languages. It is a native of Southern Mexico and central America , has
spread to all warm regions of the globe.
The
plant is richly branched with deep dark green foliage and spreads a typical chicle
aroma during flowering. The trees of ‘sapota’ are known to last for 100 years
or more and flowering occurs once or twice a year.
Fruits
are larger than average Lime but smaller than Orange and tend to have a skin
that thins by aging and ripe fruits have somewhat loose skin. The fruit has
fleshy soft sweet edible core with about 4-6 large black shiny seeds.
Unripe
fruits have milky latex [white fluid] a major ingredient in ‘Chewing gum’. Some
Tamils mispronounce the name ‘sivingam’ instead of Chewing gum. Young fruits
are rich in ‘Saponin’ and latex
Chicle
gum being a natural product,is bio-degradable and is used in making chew gum
for children. It has industrial use for making specific water resistant - adhesives,
varnishes and paints
Leaf
extracts of chicle are known to possess anti- diabetic, anti-oxidant properties
and also hypocholesterolemic [lowering cholesterol] properties.
Seed
extracts are said to show antibacterial effect against Pseudomonas oleovarens and Vibrio cholerare
In
India the common man knows the chicle fruits more than about other uses.
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