BOTANICAL NAME: Bombax ceiba
FAMILY: Bombaceae
CLASSICAL CLASSIFICATION:
Bhavaprakasha nighantu– Vatadi Varga
ENGLISH NAME: White Silk Cotton Tree
COMMON NAME:
Hindi: Safed Semal, Hatiaan, Safed savara
Tamil: Halvam, pancu
Bengali: Shveth semul
REFERENCE: BHAVAPRAKASH SAMHITA with link e Nighantu:
https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/e-Nighantu/bhavaprakashanighantu/?mod=read
भावप्रकाश-पूर्वखण्ड-मिश्रप्रकरण – ६. वटादिवर्ग
कूटशाल्मलि
कुत्सितः शाल्मलिः प्रोक्तो रोचनः कूटशाल्मलिः |
कूटशाल्मलिकस्तिक्तः कटुकः कफवातनुत् |
भेद्युष्णः प्लीहजठरयकृद्गुल्मविषापहः |
भूतानाहविबन्धास्रमेदःशूलकफापहः ||४९||
HABITAT: Large Trees 30-40 meters.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
Bombax species are among the largest trees in their regions, reaching 30 to 40 metres in height and up to three metres in trunk diameter. The leaves are compound with entire margins and are deciduous, being shed in the dry-season. They measure 30 to 50 cm across and are palmate in shape with five to nine leaflets. The calyx is deciduous, meaning it does not persist on the fruits. They bear five to ten cm long red flowers between January and March while the tree is still leafless. The stamens are present in bundles in two whorls, while the staminal column lacks lobes. The ovary matures into a husk containing seeds covered by a fibre similar to that of the kapok (Ceiba pentandra) and to cotton, though with shorter fibres than cotton, that does not lend itself to spinning, making it unusable as a textile product.
AYURVEDIC CHARACTERISTICS:
| RASA | GUNA | VEERYA | VIPAKA | PRABHAVA | DOSHGHNTA |
| Katu, Tikta | Ushna | Katu | Bhedana | Kapha Vata Shamaka |
AYURVEDIC ENERGETICS:
| TASTE | PROPERTY | POTENCY | POST DIGESTIVE EFFECT | EFFECT ACTION | DOSHA ACTION |
| Bitter, Pungent | Hot | Pungent | Purgation | Pacifying Kapha & Vata |
MAJOR CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: Plant contains Sitosterols, Triterpenes, taraxeryl acetate, Oleanolic Acid, Squalene, sitosterol palmitate, taraxerone.
THERAPEUTIC USES:
- CONSTIPATION: Decoction of Kutashalmali flower is given as a Laxative in dose of 20-30 ml
- EDEMA- Due to diuretic properties of its roots decoction is given in case of oedema.
- HYPERGLYCAEMIA- Root & Stem bark decoction is given in raised blood glucose levels
- BED WETTING- Mochrasa is used in children bed wetting case.
INDICATIONS:
Constipationn Annaha, Abdominal Tumor Gulma, Obesity Medovridhi, Ascities Jalodara.
USEFUL PART: Gum, Root, Stem
DOSAGE: Resin- 250-500 mg
AYURVEDIC FORMULATION:
- Dadimadya Leha