A tropical tree-like herb, with large leaves of which the overlapping bases form the so-called false trunk. Fully grown, the stem reaches a height of 10 - to 30 feet. From the center of the crown spring the flowers. Only female flowers develop into a banana fruit that vary in length from about 4 - 12 inches.

Laxative (fruit)

Arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, serotonin, dopamine, norepinepherine, malic acid and catecholamine (plant)

Blood disorders (stem juice and root); in dysentery and diarrhea,promotes the healing of intestinal lesion in ulcerative colitis (fruit); useful in diabetes, uremia, nephritis, gout, hypertension and cardiac diseases (ripe fruit); for dysentery (flower juice)

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.