SALMALI
(SalmaliamalabaricaSchott.and.Endl.)
INTRODUCTION
In Rig-Veda Salmali wood is used to prepare a chariot during marriage rituals. Its fruit is considered as poisonous but the tree is described as best among the trees. Caraka documented the haemostatic property and an allergic effect of Salmali. In fact he documented the utility of different parts of this tree. Viz. flower, gum stem bark, petiole and prickles. Salmaliniryasa is known as Mocarasa and is used as styptic agent as well as haemostatic.
SYNONYMS
| Salmali | Having long life |
| Mocha | Plant exudates gum |
| Sthirayu | Plant having long life |
| Rochana | Good appetizer |
| Kutasalmali | Plant having thorns |
| Kandakanya | Plant with many thorns |
| Raktapuspa | Plant having red colored flowers |
| Pichila | Gum is sticky in nature |
VERNACULAR NAMES
| English | Silk-cotton tree |
| Hindi | Semul, Semar |
| Kannada | Burugadamara |
| Malayalam | Elavu, Mullilavu |
| Tamil | Ilavu |
| Telugu | Mulluburugacettu |
| Sanskrit | Salmali |
| Bengli | Shimul |
VARIETIES
- Bhavamishra described two varieties of Salmali under vatadivarga. They are..
(1) Salmali-Bombaxmalabaricum Dc.
(2) Kutasalmali- Ceibapentandra Linn.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
- ROOT CONTAINS–
Starch
Sugar
Protein
Mineral matter
Fat
Tannin
Cellulose
- SEED CONTAINS-
Fixed oil
- RESIN CONTAINS-
2-9% of mineral matter
Tannin
Tannic acid
Galic acid
RASAPANCHAKA
| RASA | Madura,kashaya(moca rasa) |
| GUNA | Laghu, Snigdha, Pichila |
| VEERYA | Sita |
| VIPAKA | Madura,Katu(moca rasa) |
| DOSAGNATHA | Vatapittahara,Kaphapittasamaka(mocarasa) |
KARMA
- Purisavirajaniya
- Stambhana
- Raktastambhana
- Kasahara
- Mutrala
- Vrishya
- Sukrastambhana
- Artavarodhi
- Balya
- Brmhana
- Sothahara
- Dahaprasamana
- Raktarodaka
- Vranaropana
- Legana
- Varnya
- Dantya
PRAYOGA
- In atisara, pravahika, grahani
- In arshas
- Raktapitta
- Plihavridhi
- Asmari, mutrakrtcha, vrkkasula
- Sukrakshaya, klaibya
- Karsya, sosha, dourbalya,
- Vranasotha, daha, raktasrava
- Dantavikara
- Mukapaka, vrana
- Pradara, svetapradara, asrgdara
THERAPEUTIC USES
- In Atisara-
1)Enema of the petioles or exudation of Salmali boiled in milk and added with ghee is useful in diarrhea with tenesmus.
2)Cold infusion of Salmali petioles kept overnight should be taken after adding maduka and honey.
- Intrinsic hemorrhage-
Powder of Salmali flowers should be taken with honey.
- In Plihavrdhi-
Flowers of Salmali well steamed should be kept overnight and then taken after mixing rajika powder.
- In Vrana-
Salmali bark, bark root etc. should be applied on the wound. It removes burning sensation.
- As Vrsya-
Salmali tuber is used with cow’s milk as aphrodisiac.
- In Pradara-
Salmalighrtha is used.
- In Padadaha-
Application of the paste of the Salmali bark removes burning sensation of feet.
- The seeds of the plant are used in Gonorrhea, chronic cystitis and other catarrhal affections.
- Its flowers are astringent and cooling and a paste of flowers and leaves is applied in cutaneous disease.
- In condition of rectal hemorrhage mocrasa is boiled with milk and given.
- Mocarasa is recommended in diarrhea particularly in pittadosa.
- Thorns are ground with milk and applied on face in facial complaints.
- A paste of its bark is used externally in cutaneous eruptions and also on boils, acne and pimples.
- Mocarasa powder is used as snuff to check nasagataraktapitta.
- Its young fruits as considered as expectorant, stimulant and diuretic and are used in calculus affections, chronic inflammations and ulceration of the kidney and bladder.
FOLKLORE USES
- The gum resin (mocarasa) is much used in uterine disorders in traditional medicines.
- Immature or young fruit is given in cough.
- The young fruit is used as a vegetable.
- It is considered to be fiber yielding plant and tribal extract fibers from this plant.
- The cotton from the plant is used as household material.
- The thorns are pounded with milk and the paste is applied over pimples. It is a famous remedy for acne infestation.
USEFUL PARTS
- Roots
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Exudate(mocarasa)
- Semalmusali(young plant roots)
FORMULATIONS
- Salmaligrtha
- Pusyanugachoorna
- Kamadenurasa
- Sundarikalpa
With mocarasa-
- Kutajavalehya
- Chandanasava
- Abayarista
RESEARCH STUDIES
1) Bombax cobia has risen the interest of scientists andresearchers since some of the active constituents and phytochemical found on this plant are known to exert many beneficial effects. Some of them, as for exampleapigenin,a well-known anti-cancer agent, or Luteol, a triterpene with many health benefits among which we can mention its anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, anti-mutagenic, anti-malarial and anti-plasmodialproperties.
2) Anabolic effect of Bombaxceiba root in idiopathic involuntary weight loss.
3)Bombaxceiba root act on some Cardiovascular risk parameters in patients with Ischemic Heart Diseases.