Aavil ആവൽ

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Aavil is a medium sized to large glabrous deciduous tree, 15-25m in height with whitish or yellowish grey bark exfoliating in irregular flakes and with an offensive smell when freshly cut; leaves simple, alternate, distichous, elliptic, entire, glabrous with rounded or cordate base and 5-7 pairs of main nerves; flowers greenish yellow, male and hermaphrodite mixed in short racemes or fascicles near the leaf scars; fruits sub orbicular samara with membranous reticulately veined wings.
The bark and leaves are bitter, astringent, acrid, thermogenic, depurative, revulsive and urinary astringent. They are useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and pitta, inflammations, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, helminthiasis, vomiting, skin diseases, leprosy, diabetes, haemorrhoids and rheumatism.