Aralu Chaal/Shyonaka Chaal (अरलू छाल) : Aralu Chaal consists of dried stem bark of Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. A large deciduous tree occurring in Bihar, Chhota Nagpur, Madhya Pradesh, forests of Ganjam, Vishakhapatnam and Deccan. Bark thick, external surface light grey, granular and rough due to presence of longitudinal ridges, internal surface yellowish-white and fibrous; fracture, fibrous; odor, disagreeable when fresh; taste, bitter.

Aralu has restoring and stabilizing properties. It is therefore, very useful in reducing stool frequency in diarrhea and dysentery. Especially in dysentery where there is a lot of mucous secretion along with stools, Aralu Chaal can help to cleanse the infection so that mucous secretions can be reduced. It also helps relieve bloating and abdominal pain associated with Diarrhea and Dysentery.

Aralu Chaal is multilayered, compactly arranged, tangentially elongated, thin walled cells obliterated at certain points due to rhytidoma; secondary cortex narrow, composed of tangentially elongate cells, a few cells contain rosette and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate; phloem, wide, consisting of sieve elements, parenchyma, fibers and stone cells. A few layers of outer phloem collapsed forming ceratenchyma; stone cells, in groups and in singles, present towards outer region of phloem. Lignify fibers present in groups in radial rows in inner phloem region; calcium oxalate crystals similar to those found in secondary cortex also found in phloem region; medullar rays not distinct.

Aralu Chaal Benefits: 

Aralu Chaal is rich in dietary fibers and is known to improve the bulk of feces. It has digestive properties and is known to improve gut functions.

Shyonaka Chaal is good at improving the digestive strength so that ama can be dissolve and digest by the body. It also stimulates digestive fire so that formation of ama can be reduce in the first place.

Aralu has a general detox effect on the body given its bitter and astringent taste and cooling properties. It helps to suppress and reduce inflammation in the body which may occur because of multiple infections like bacterial, viral, fungal, moulds etc.

As per Ayurveda, when the abdominal region is free of any kind of swelling or inflammation, it is able to function properly. Also most of the disease, be it minor illness or major ones leading to death, are a result of an early disruption in the gut functions.