Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Tala

Borassus flabellifer

Tala (Borassus flabellifer) is a plant used in Ayurveda. Polyphenols from fruit have moderate bioavailability (20-35%). Kernel oil fatty acids (lauric, oleic) have high bioavailability (>75%). B-vitamins in fresh sap are well-absorbed.

Key facts
Botanical nameBorassus flabellifer
FamilyArecaceae · other entries in this family
OrderArecales
Taxon identifiersGBIF 2733934 · Wikidata Q500857 · NCBI Taxonomy 145675

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishTala

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)MadhuraPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)Guru, SnigdhaPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)SheetaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)MadhuraPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Tala-Phala-Rasa (palm fruit juice), Jaggery (Tala-Guda), Toddy (fermented sap — Tadi), Capsule, Oil (kernel oil)

Standard Dosage: 5-10 g fruit pulp powder per day; 50-100 mL fresh juice twice daily; 500-1000 mg extract capsule twice daily; Tala-Guda (palm jaggery) 10-20 g as sweetener

Bioavailability: Sugar and mineral content (potassium, iron, calcium) highly bioavailable from fresh sap and jaggery (>70% for sugars, 15-25% for minerals). Polyphenols from fruit have moderate bioavailability (20-35%). Kernel oil fatty acids (lauric, oleic) have high bioavailability (>75%). B-vitamins in fresh sap are well-absorbed.

Optimal Timing: Fresh Neera: morning on empty stomach for cooling and nutritive effect. Jaggery: anytime as sweetener in formulations. Fruit pulp: after meals.

Standardized Extract: Fruit pulp extract (5:1), standardized to NLT 3% total polyphenols (as gallic acid equivalents); palm jaggery standardized to total mineral content, iron NLT 10 mg/100 g

Shelf Life: 24 hours for fresh Neera; 12 months for jaggery; 24 months for dried fruit pulp powder; 30 months for capsules; 18 months for kernel oil

Storage: Fresh Neera: refrigerate immediately, consume within 24 hours. Jaggery: airtight containers at room temperature, protect from moisture (hygroscopic). Churna: below 25 deg C, airtight. Kernel oil: amber glass, nitrogen-flushed.

Marker Compounds: Gallic acid, Flabelliferins (steroidal saponins), Beta-sitosterol, Borassosides, Sucrose (sap/jaggery), Iron and Potassium (mineral markers)

Extraction Methods

  • Fresh sap collection by tapping inflorescence (Neera)
  • Cold pressing of mature kernel for oil
  • Fruit pulp separation and drying
  • Jaggery preparation by boiling and concentrating fresh sap
  • Hydroalcoholic extraction of fruit pulp (50% ethanol)

Synergistic Combinations

  • Shatavari (nourishing and cooling combination)
  • Amalaki (antioxidant and nutritive synergy)
  • Yashtimadhu (mucosal protective formulations)
  • Guda/jaggery (traditional sweetener and iron source in many Ayurvedic formulations)

Published research

Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.

Other clinical studies and reviews1

  1. Singh JK, Rout AK, Kumari K. 2021. A review on Borassus flabellifer lignocellulose fiber reinforced polymer compositesCarbohydrate polymers. PMID 33838807 · doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.117929

Laboratory and animal studies11

  1. Karthik K, Velumayil R, Perumal SN and others. 2024. Synthesis and characterization of Borassus flabellifer flower waste-generated cellulose fillers reinforced PMC composites for lightweight applicationsScientific reports. PMID 39551875 · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-78410-6
  2. Thomas NM, Sathasivam V, Thirunavukarasu M and others. 2024. Influence of Borassus flabellifer Endocarps Hydrolysate on Fungal Biomass and Fatty Acids Production by the Marine Fungus Aspergillus spApplied biochemistry and biotechnology. PMID 37273094 · doi:10.1007/s12010-023-04588-6
  3. Elangovan SM, Muthu Kumar S, Sindhu V and others. 2023. Extraction, characterization and biological activity of Galactomannan rich endosperm of Borassus flabellifer (Linn.) suitable for biofabrication of tissue scaffoldsInternational journal of biological macromolecules. PMID 37597640 · doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126397
  4. Saravanan V, Davoodbasha M, Rajesh A and others. 2023. Extraction and characterization of Chitosan from Shell of Borassus flabellifer and their antibacterial and antioxidant applicationsInternational journal of biological macromolecules. PMID 37659486 · doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126592
  5. Malayil D, House NC, Puthenparambil D and others. 2022. Borassus flabellifer haustorium extract prevents pro-oxidant mediated cell death and LPS-induced inflammationDrug and chemical toxicology. PMID 33307839 · doi:10.1080/01480545.2020.1858854
  6. Tunit P, Thammarat P, Okonogi S and others. 2022. Hydrogel Containing Borassus flabellifer L. Male Flower Extract for Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anti-Inflammatory ActivityGels (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 35200507 · doi:10.3390/gels8020126
  7. Job JT, Rajagopal R, Alfarhan A and others. 2022. Borassus flabellifer Linn haustorium methanol extract mitigates fluoride-induced apoptosis by enhancing Nrf2/Haeme oxygenase 1 -dependent glutathione metabolism in intestinal epithelial cellsDrug and chemical toxicology. PMID 34000941 · doi:10.1080/01480545.2021.1926476
  8. Thi Le DH, Chiu CS, Chan YJ and others. 2021. Bioactive and Physicochemical Characteristics of Natural Food: Palmyra Palm (Borassus flabellifer Linn.) SyrupBiology. PMID 34681127 · doi:10.3390/biology10101028
  9. Han K , Jaganathan GK , He L and others. 2021. Cryopreservation of Borassus flabellifer L. (arecaceae) using excised embryos: a first report for the genus BorassusCryo letters. PMID 35363847
  10. Athinarayanan J, Alshatwi AA, Subbarayan Periasamy V. 2020. Biocompatibility analysis of Borassus flabellifer biomass-derived nanofibrillated celluloseCarbohydrate polymers. PMID 32122496 · doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.115961
  11. Pipatchartlearnwong K, Juntawong P, Wonnapinij P and others. 2019. Towards sex identification of Asian Palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer L.) by DNA fingerprinting, suppression subtractive hybridization and de novo transcriptome sequencingPeerJ. PMID 31333909 · doi:10.7717/peerj.7268

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