Roxb.
Family: Papilionaceae; Fabaceae.
Habitat: Central and Southern India.
Ayurvedic: Lataa-Palaash (orange or orange scarlet-flowered var.).
Action: Seeds—sedative and anthelmintic; decoction emollient and used topically for piles. Seed oil—anthelmintic and hypotensive. Seeds exhibit haemagglutinating activity against human ABO red cells. Roots—hypotensive. Watery sap from stems is used for drinking purposes. Bark is used in tonics and elixirs.
White-flowered var. is equated with Butea parviflora Roxb.
(Lam.) Taub.
Synonym: B. frondosa Koenig ex Roxb.
Family: Papilionaceae; Fabaceae.
Habitat: Throughout India, up to 1,200 m except in very arid regions.
English: Flame of the Forest, Butea Gum, Bengal Kino.
Ayurvedic: Paalasha, Kimshuka, Raktapushpaka, Kshaarshreshtha, Brahmavriksha, Samidvar.
Unani: Dhaak, Samagh Dhaak, Kamarkas.
Siddha/Tamil: Palasam, Purasus.
Folk: Tesu.
Action: Bark—astringent, styptic (prescribed in bleeding piles, ulcers, haemorrhages, menstrual disorders), anthelmintic. Flowers— astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue (also given for leucorrhoea). A decoction of flowers is given in diarrhoea and haematuria, also to puerperal women. Seeds—clinical use of seeds as an anthelmintic drug is not considered safe in humans.
Leaves—antibacterial. Stem bark— antifungal.An aqueous extract of flowers has shown hepatoprotective activity against CCl4-induced liver injury in albino rats.Extracts of flowers have exhibited significant anti-oestrogenic activity in mice. The seed suspension, on oral administration to albino rats (175 and 350 mg/kg body weight), showed 38.46 and 68.75% cases, respectively, where pregnancy was not interrupted but foetus was malformed.Alcoholic extract of the whole plant produced persistent vasodepression in cats.The plant contains flavonoids and glucosides—butin, butrin, isobutrin and palastrin. Flowers contain butrin, coreopsin, monospermoside and their derivatives and sulphurein; also chal- cones.
Dosage: Stem bark—5-10 g powder (API Vol. II); flower—3-6 g powder; seed—3 g powder; gum—0.5-1.5 g (API Vol. IV.)... butea monosperma
Linn.
Habitat: Throughout tropical India, up to 2,350 m on the hills.
English: Glory Lily, Super Lily, Tiger's Claws.
Ayurvedic: Laangali, Laangaliki, Laangalaki, Laanglaahva, Indra- pushpi, Agnishikhaa, Anantaa, Vishaalyaa, Halini, Sirikramaa, Shukrapushpikaa, Vahnimukhi, Garbhanut, Garbhapaatani. Kali- haari (Costus specious Koen., is also used as Kalihaari), Kalikaari.
Siddha/Tamil: Kalappankizhangu.
Action: Tuberous root—anti- inflammatory, alterative, an- thelmintic, antileprotic. Used for piles, swollen joints, parasitical affections of skin. Fresh juice of plant—uterine stimulant.
The root contain colchicine 0.230.3%. Colchicine and its derivatives are present in tubers, seeds and flowers.The seeds are used as raw material for preparing drugs for gout. They are considered a rich source of colchicine and gloriosine.The herb is a gastrointestinal irritant.
Dosage: Detoxified tuberous root— 125-250 mg. (API Vol. III.)... gloriosa superba
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