PALASHA – BUTEA MONOSPERMA LAMPALASHA

 

PALASHA – BUTEA MONOSPERMA LAMPALASHA

BUTEA MONOSPERMA LAM

The plant buteamonosperma Lam belongs to fabaceae (legaminaceae) family. The sanskrith word Palasha literally means that which looks like a flesh or blood. It acts as krimighnaaction.

In English it is known by the name “flame of the forest”. The colour of the flower is orange – red because of this colour it is known by the name “flame of the forest”.

This is the beautiful tree is sacred to soma, the moon is sacrificial and is frequently mentioned in the Vedas. Its flowered are offered to the gods. It is sometimes represented as a sacred tree of Buddhists .

 

LITERARY VIEW

It is the most important plants for the (ritual) according to Vedic literature. Its gum (red coloured) is also described inVedic texts. Palasha is considered as the best among the herbs and is quoted as Medhajanana in Kaushika sutra. Palasha paste is applied externally in case of jalodara (ascites). It is also used in Krimirogawhile KeshavaPadhathi described it as Panacia.

Through Brihatrayi quoted it extensively, charaka did not include under any of the Vargas. Susrutha and vagbattadescribed it under 4 gana’s .Palasha while considering it as Kaphapitta Prasamana. It is mainly indicated inPramehapleehodara, vidharika and apatanaka. Charaka mentioned it in the management of Athisara, rakthapitta, Kustha , Rakthagulma etc.

Its vayasthapana properly is emphasized by Rajamarthanda.

 

 

 

 

 

SYNONYMS

 

• Palasha
• Kimsuka
• Triparna
• Beejasneha
• Rakthapushpaka
• Samidvuara
• Brahma Vriksha
• Vatapoda
• Brahmopanethra
• Ksharashreshta
• Yajnika
• Putdru
• Karma
• Yajnaka
• Ganeruka
• Vatuparni
• Dvijasneha
• Trivrita

 

 

VERNACULAR NAMES

English : flame of the forest tree, Bastard teak

Hindi : Dhaka

Kannada : Muttuga

Malayalam : Pilasa, Pala

Sanskrith : Palasha

Marathi : Palas

Tamil : Murukka, Parasa, Pilasa

Telugu : Modug, Palasama

Bengali : Palash

Gujarati : Khakharo

Punjabi : Chichra ,Dhak, palas

PART USED

• Stem bark
• Flowers
• Seeds
• Gum – resin
• Alkali
• Leaves
• Roots

 

 

MATHRA

Tvakkashaya ® 50 – 100 ml

Beejachoora ® 3 – 6 gms

Pushpachurna ® 3 – 6 gms

Gum – resin ® 1 – 3 gms

 

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

The skin of bark and resin contain tannic and gallic acids. The plant gives the resin gum called as Bengal gum or Buteagum .

The seed contain 18% of a yellow oil called “ Kino oil” Proteolylic and lypolytic enzymes, palasonin, B – sito – sterol, and amyr

in, Monosperminlextins and lactone. The alkaloid – palasonin – from the seeds is effecive an anthelminitic , especially in round worm infestations. Synthesis of a coumaranoneglucoside – palasitrin from the plant and palasonin from the seeds. Glycerides of palmitic , stearic, lignoceric, oleic and linoleic acid from seed oil isolated. A new alkaloid – Monospermin – isolated of butrin and Isolated. A new alkaloid Monospermin – isolated ofbutrin and Isobutrin from the flower.

Flower ®butin , IsolatedcorcopsinMonospermoside , butin (Major glucoside ) Ismonospermside, corcopsin, palasitrin

Roots®glycerine ,jalaricestors I,II, III, and IV etc

Gum®leuco cyaniding, procyanidin etc.

PROPERTIES

	Seeds	Flower
Rasa	Katu , tikta, kashaya
Guna	Laghu , snigdha , theekshna	Laghu , Rooksha
Veerya	Ushnaveerya	Seethaveerya
Vipaka	Katuvipaka	Madhuravipaka
Dashagnatha	Kaphavathagna	Kaphapittagna
Prabhava	Bhagnasandhanaka

 

KARMA

• Krimigna
• Deepana
• Grahi
• Yakrithuthejaka
• Bedhana
• Thrishnanashaka
• Anulomana
• Rakthasthambaka
• Pramehagna
• Garbhanirodhaka
• Jvaraghna
• Vishagna
• Rasayana
• Netraroga
• Balya
• Kushtagna
• Uhtejaka
• Rakthasa

 

PRAYOGA

• Krimiroga
• Agnimandya
• Udararoga
• Pleeharoga
• Rakthapitha
• Thrishna
• Daha
• Juara
• Matrakritcha
• Prameha
• Shukradaubatcha
• Charmavikara
• Asthibagn
• Visha
• Andhravridhi
• Vrishikadamsa
• Sleepada
• Rakthavikara
• Gulma
• Soola
• Grahani
• Arsas
• Athisara

MEDICINAL USES

 

• Fever

In case of burning sensation in fever, the tendar leaves of palasha ,badari or nimba should be pounded with sour gruel and this cold paste should be applied on the body to alleviate burning sensation

(-B.P.ci 1/360)

• Diarrhoea

Decoction of palasha fruit mixed with milk should be given followed by intake of warm milk according to strength. By this , imparity is eliminated and this diarrhea is checked

( C.S.ci 19/ 59 – 60)

• Cough

Palashaseeds ,Udumbara fruits and Maricha taken together alleviates cough within 3 days.

( V.P 3/16)

• Filaria

Juice of palasha roots mixed with oil yellow mustard an equal quantity should be taken .

(V.M 42/13)

 

• Eye diseases

Pittikaconjuctivities

1. Flowers of palsha should be subbed with honey and used as collyrium. (S.S.V10/9)
2. Exuodate of palasha or shallaki mixedwith sugar and honey should be used as collyrium (S.S.V10/9)

• Pilla

3. Semi – solid extract of triphala or palasha flowers or apamarga should be used as collyrium (S.S.V12/50)

• Cornial opacity

4. Palasha seeds impregenated with phanijjaka juice are dries and powdered. It use as collyrium destroys corneal opacity

(B. s netraroga 167)

5. Karancha seeds impregenated many times with the juice of palasha flower is made in to a wick. Its application as collyrium destroys corneal opacity

• Cataract:

In Pittika cataract, juice of palasha , rohitaka and madhuka mixed with honey and wine – scum should be made is to semisolid extract and then used as collyrium(S.S.U.17/41)

• Scorpion – sting

Palasha seeds impregnated with arka latex should be made in to a paste and applied locally. It removes pain

(A.S.U.43/70)

• Pusvan

One leaf of palasha pounded with milk should he taken by the pregnant woman .Thus she achieves powerful son

(B.PCL70/30)

11 Instrinsichaemorrhage

1. On e should take ghee cooked with the juice of palasa plant cooled and mixed with honey or same processed with juice of nyagrodadi drugs or simply ghee extracted of milk and added with sugar.

(S.S . U.45/29)

2. Ghee cooked with juice of palasa petioles and the paste of the same should be given with honey it checks bleeding similarly acts that cooked with trayamana (A.H.ci.2/43)
3. Worms

Decotion ofpalasa seed or paste of the same with rice water should be taken ( S.S.U. 54/25)

13. Colic

Soup prepared with palasa or danyak mixed with sugar should be taken

(S.S.U.42/107)

14. Rakthagulma

Palashakshara andgritta (C.S.ci.5/173)

15. Rasayana

Palasa seeds and vidanga mixed with juice of Aamlaki fruits, honeyand ghee should be taken for a month. It makes the old young. (R.M.33.5)

RESEARCH STUDIES

• Alcholicextract of the seeds on oral administration produced antiferitlity activity in female mice and rats . the extract partially inhabited ovulation and significally suppressed the deciduas cell reaction in rats – the LD in mice was found to be 7.5 g/kg
• The alcoholic extract of the flower petals reported to possess anti – ostrogeniceffect of at a dose of 3.2 mg/kg per day.
• Chronic administration of B frondosa by oral route for 2 months produced masked nephrotoxicity and anaemia in rats , dogs and rabbits congestation in lives, lungs and spleen was observed.
• Palasonin and its piperzaine salt exhibited good anthelminitic activity in vitro on ascrislambricoids and in vivo on Toxicaracanis, compasingfavourably with piperazine and santonin.
• Alcoholic extract of seeds prevented pregnancy in rats at a dose of 300 mg/ kg on days 1 to 4 of pregnancy . At higher dose it was toxic flowers also showed encouraging anti – implantation activity in rats at a dose of 300 mg/ kg.
• Flower extract exhibited antihepatoxicity activity .
• Seeds given orally effective in round warm and thread worm infestations but in effective in case of tapeworm nausea, vomiting , dizziness , general weakness and pain in abdomen regularly observed as side effects .
• Oil obtained from seeds of B superba in a dose of 120 mg/kg showed a marked and prolonged fall in B.P with no effect in respiration

FORMULATIONS

• Palashabeejathichurna
• Palashaksharaghritha
• Palashakshara
• Palashaksharataila
• Kriminudgara Rasa