Eriolobus indica (Wall.) Decne

Eriolobus indica (Wall.) Decne, commonly known as the Indian crab apple, is widely distributed in the tropical region in the eastern Himalayas, especially in the eastern part of Nepal, Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Khasi to Bhutan hills. The raw fruits are eaten fresh or processed into pickles as well as used in jelly preparation (commonly known as “Chuk”), which is considered to be advantageous for a stomach disorder. Several kinds of literature have revealed that plant-based foods such as fruits, leaves, roots, vegetables, and medical herbs contain various constituents such as phenolic compounds, flavonoids, vitamins, terpenoids, peptides, amino acids, minerals, and other endogenous metabolites that are rich in antioxidant activities are contribute to curing life-threatening diseases. However, until recently, there were very few studies are available about E. indica. It is said that traditionally fruit extract of E. indica is being used for curing blood dysentery and bark is used for piles. The precise nutritional, phytochemical composition, and pharmacological activities are not fully identified yet. So, in this chapter, we hope to gather all the available scientific information about E. indica and its phytochemical, nutritional, and pharmacological activities, along with its potential values in the nutraceutical market.