Int J Ayu Pharm Chem REVIEW ARTICLE www.ijapc.com e-ISSN 2350-0204

Palash (Butea monosperma lam. Kuntze.): A Review Neelam1*, K.N. Dwivedi2, B.Ram3

1, 2, 3Deptt. of Dravyaguna, Faculty of Ayurveda, I.M.S., B.H.U., Varanasi, U.P. India

Abstract

The traditional system of medicine together with folklore medicine continue to play a significant role in our health care system. Palash is a commonly used herb in Ayurvedic medicine. The botanical source of Palash is Butea monosperma Lam. Kuntze. It is a medium sized deciduous tree which is widely distributed throughout the greater part of India. Palash belongs to family Fabaceae and is popularly known as „flame of the forest‟. The plant is traditionally reported to possess astringent, bitter, alterative, aphrodiasiac, anthelmintic, antibacterial and anti-asthmatic properties. Bark yield red juice known as „Butea gum‟ or „Bengalkino‟. The widespread uses of Palash in traditional system of medicine have resulted in their extensive chemical analysis for their bioactive principles. This article briefly reviews the botany, chemistry and pharmacology of Palash. Keywords Ayurveda, Palash, Butea monosperma, Fabaceae, Bengalkino

Greentree Group

Received 25/3/15 Accepted 28/4/15 Published 10/5/15

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INTRODUCTION Susruta Samhita, he has mentioned Palash in Rodhradi, Muskakadi, Ambasthadi and Palash(Butea monosperma Figure - Nyagrodhadi Gana4. In Astanga Sangraha, 1) is commonly known as Flame of forest, Vagbhata mentioned Palash in Asanadi, belonging to the family Fabaceae. It is Rodhradi, Muskakadi, Ambasthadi and commonly found throughout the greater part Nyagrodhadi Gana5. of India, ascending the Himalayas up to

900m and in peninsular India up to 1, 200m. Figure 1 Different parts of Palasha Panchanga It is rare or absent in most arid regions. The tree is very typical of open grassland, where it is frequently gregarious as in the Terai in

North India. It grows in waterlogged situations, on black cotton soils, even on saline, alkaline and swampy badly drained 1. Stem of Palash 2. Leaves of Palash soils, and on barren lands [1]. The literary . review of the Palash was started right from the Vedas up to recent research works to obtain thorough knowledge of drug. On comprehensive review of Ayurvedic classics it was found that Palash is described in 3. Flowers of Palash 4. Root of Palash Vedas, Upanisads, Caraka Samhita, Susruta Samhita and both Astanga Sangraha and

Astanga Hrdaya.

In Caraka Samhita, it is not 5. Seeds of Palash described in Mahakasaya2. In Susruta Samhita, Palash is described in Rodhradi, It is described in other Samhita’s like Muskakadi, Ambasthadi and Nyagrodhadi Kasyapa Samhita, Bhela Samhita, Harita 3 Gana . In Astanga Hrdaya, Vagbhata Samhita and Sharangadhar Samhita. Palash mentioned Palash in Asanadi gana and like is also mentioned in Cikitsagranthas like

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Cakradutta, Gadanigraha, Bhaishajya Genus : Butea Ratnavali and Bhavaprakasha Samhita. Species : monosperma. Palash is mentioned in Nighantu also. In Vernacular names10 Nighantu, the synonyms of Palash have Hindi : Dhak, Tesu been given. The synonyms of Palash which English : Bastard teak, are found in most of the Nighantu are Bengal kino, Flame of the forest Brahmavrksa, Kinshuka, Parna, Yajniya, Kannada : Muttunga, Raktapuspa, Samidvara and Vatapotha etc. Thoras Many of the Nighantu have described the Tamila : Parasa, Pilasu properties of Palash. i. e., the rasa of Palash Bengali : Palas is tikta and kasaya, Virya usna but flower of Gujarat : Khakharo, Palash is sita in nature. The fruit is Laghu, Palaspappda usna and used in Prameha, Arsha, Krmi and Punjabi : Chichra, Vatakaphaja rogas according to Dhak, Palas. Bhavaprakash Nighantu6 while in Nighantu Synonyms of Palash11 - adarsh7, the rasa of Palash is katu, tikta, . Palash – The leaves are fleshy and kasaya, virya- usna, vipaka –katu, beautiful. Doshaghnta- Kaphavatanasaka. The author . Kinshuka - Resembling parrot‟s of Dhanvantari Nighantu mentioned beak. properties of Palash Bija as Katu in rasa, . Ksharashrestha - The plant is one of Snigdha in guna, Usna virya and the best among the sources of alkali. kaphanasaka8. . Parna - The Leaves are useful. Scientific Classification 9 . Brahmavrksa - Used in religious Kingdom : Plantae rites and sacrifices. Division : Magnoliophyta . Yajniya - Used in `religious rituals. (Spermatophyta) . Raktapuspa - Flowers are red. Class : Magnoliopsida . Vatapotha - It pacifies vata. (Dicotyledons) . Samidvara - As it is useful in Yajna. Order : Fabales . Putadru-It is sacred tree. (Rosales) . Kharaparna- The leaves are rough to Family : Fabaceae touch. ______Neelam et al. 2015 Greentree Group © IJAPC Int J Ayu Pharm Chem 2015 Vol. 2 Issue 3 www.ijapc.com 97 [e ISSN 2350-0204]

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. Tri Parna - Trifoliate leaves. densely brown- velvety, bracts and . Bijasneha- Seeds are oily. bracteoles small, deciduous. Calyx 13 mm. . Vakrapuspaka- The flowers are long, dark olive-green, desely velvety curved. outside, clothed with silky hairs within; . Krmighna- A potent antihelmintic teeth short, the 2 upper connate, the 3 lower drug. equal, deltoid. Corolla 3.8-5 cm. long, clothed outside with silky silvery hairs, BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF orange or salmon coloured; standard 2.5cm. PALASH broad; keel semicircular, beaked, veined.

The genus Butea refers to beautiful Pods – stalked, 12.5-20 by 2.5-5 cm, appearance of flowers. The specific name thickened at sutures, reticulately veined, monosperma means „one seeded and refers argenteo-canescent; stalked 2 cm. long. to the fruit with a single seed near its apex‟. Seed – oval, flat, smooth, brown, 1.5 inches Habit- A medium sized erect tree 12-15 m long and 1 inch broad. high, with crooked trunk and irregular Wood – Wood grey and grey brown, soft, branches; bark rough, bluish grey or light not durable, no annual rings, pores large, brown. often subdivided, extremely ssacnty. Leaves- Three foliolate; petioles 10-15cm. Medullary rays broad and moderately broad long; stipules linear-lanceolate, deciduous. pale, the darker tissue between the rays, is broken up into ablong patches by broad Leaflets coriaceous, all obtuse, glabrous, concentric bands of pale tissue similar in above when old, finely silky and appearance to the medullary rays, alternating conspicuously reticulately veined beneath. with dark patches, both distinctly visible on Petioles-10-15cm long. Petiolules 6mm. a radial surfaces as long, irregular, alternate long, stout. Stipels- subulate, deciduous. dark and light bands. Flowers- Large, in rigid racemes 15cm. Flowering and Fruiting time- The leaves long, three flowers together from the tumid begin to fall during Nov-Dec. and by the end nodes of the dark olive green velvety rachis, of January the tree is leafless or nearly so. pedicels about twice as long as the calyx, The new leaves appear in April or early ______Neelam et al. 2015 Greentree Group © IJAPC Int J Ayu Pharm Chem 2015 Vol. 2 Issue 3 www.ijapc.com 98 [e ISSN 2350-0204]

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May. Flowering begins in January and chalcones and aurones. The aqueous extract continues till the end of April, according to of the flowers, containing mainly the the locality. The pods with a seed each at the chalcone, isobutrin, can be used for apex ripen during May-June 12. colouring of foodstuff in the yellow-orange range in place of synthetic coal-tar dyes PHYTOCHEMICAL currently in use. CONSTITUENTS OF PALASH Seed- Analysis of the seeds gave- moisture

5.7%; protein20.1; pentosan11.4; and water- Root- Moisture 45.4; protein 2.1; fat 0.3; sol mucilage 4.4%. The seeds contain up to fibre1.6; carbohydrates 50.0; and minerals 20% of a fatty oil known as Moodooga Oil 0.6g/100g; calcium 25; phosphorus 21mg/g; or Kino-Tree oil. and energy 211Kcal/1oog. Glycine, a glycoside and an aromatic hydroxyl The fresh seeds contain lipolytic and compound are also present. proteolytic enzymes. The latter is a mixture of plant proteinase and polypeptidase and Bark- tannins 5.82%; and non-tannins7.98% behaves like „Yeast trypsin;. The presence and colour. of three alkaloids one of which is identified Leaf- crude protein 14.79%; crude fiber as monospermine (1-N-acetyl-2-oxo-4- 21.74%; ether extract 2.80%; minerals methoxy-3H, 5H-imidazole), a new lactone 6.68%; calcium2.54%; and phosphorus of n- heneicosanoic acid (yield, 0.24%; 0.24%. The in-vitro dry-matter and cell-wall C21H40O2) and a phytolectin has been digestibility of the leaves was 53.20% and reported in the seeds. Palasonin is the 34.46%,respectively. The leaves are also anthelmintic principle present in the seeds reported to contain alkaloids. (yield, 0.025-0.030%). The anthelmintic effect of palasonin is more pronounced than Flower- The flower contain butin, butein, either piperazine or santonin against butrin, isobutrin, palasitrin, coreopsin, roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides Linn.) in isocoreopsin( butin-7-glucoside), sulphurein, humans. It has been found to potentiate the monospermoside. The major glycoside of stimulant action on different smooth the flower is butrin. The bright colour of the muscles. flower is attributed to the presence of

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Wood- The destructive distillation of The decoction is prescribed in cold, cough, hardwood (moisture10.8%) gave charcoal fever, various forms of hemorrhages, in 33.9%; tar7.0% and pyroligneous acid menstrual disorders and in the preparation of 36.6%. The pyroligneous acid on analysis tonic and elixirs. An alcoholic extract of the gave: acid 3.28%; ester 2.84%; acetone bark is reported to inhibit the activity of 1.97%; and methanol 1.22%. The dry wood Escherichia coli and Micrococcus pyogenes contains 3.1% ash. var.aureus. A fraction, containing the sodium salt of phenolic constituents, isolated Gum- The gum contains leucocyanidin, its from the bark, has shown potential as an tetramer, procyanidin, gallic acid and anti-asthmatic agent in experimental mucilaginous material. It is edible, rich in animals. riboflavin (138.8µg/g) and also contains thiamine (4.3µg/g). On dry distillation it Leaf- The green leaves are commonly gives pyrocatechin 13. lopped for fodder; the yield of milk in buffaloes, fed with Butea leaves, is reported MEDICINAL USES OF PALASH to improve. Their digestibility is comparable Root- Roots are useful in elephantiasis, and to that of straw; their caloric content is in curing night blindness and other defects reported to be 3,761cal/g dry wt. They are of sight. They are also reported to cause credited with astringent, tonic, diuretic and temporary sterility in women. The Root bark aphrodisiac properties. They are used to cure is used as an aphrodisiac and as analgesic boils, pimples and timorous hemorrhoids and antihelmintic. It is also applied in sprue, and are internally in flatulent colic, worms piles, ulcers, tumors and dropsy. It yields a and piles. The shoot apex is used by the course fiber which is used for country „Kani‟ tribal women of Kerala to prevent brushes, cordage, slow matches and for conception. The leaves are extensively used caulking boats. for platters, cups, native umbrellas and for wrapping. They are also used as bidi Bark- The bark is reported to possess wrappers and as manure. astringent, bitter, pungent, alternative, aphrodisiac and anthelmintic properties. It is Flower- The flower are reported to possess useful in tumors, bleeding piles and ulcers. astringent, diuretic, depurative, aphrodisiac and tonic properties; they are used as an ______Neelam et al. 2015 Greentree Group © IJAPC Int J Ayu Pharm Chem 2015 Vol. 2 Issue 3 www.ijapc.com 100 [e ISSN 2350-0204]

Int J Ayu Pharm Chem emmenagogue, and as poultice in Orchitis drug in humans is not safe, as it may and to reduce swellings, for bruises and produce nephrotoxicity.The seeds are also sprains. They are also effective in leprosy, used as vermifuge in veterinary medicine. leucorrhoea and gout. The petals are given The freshly powdered seeds give good to sheep for haematuria. They are active results against Ascaris infection. Maggots against the fungus Helminthosporium are killed by sprinkling the powder over sativum. An alcoholic concentrate of the them. A paste of the powdered seeds with petals showed anti-estrogenic activity at a lemon-juices is applied as a cure for dose of 3.2 mg/kg body wt per day in mice. ringworm and herpes. The hot alcoholic A decoction of the flowers is given in extract of the seeds showed significant anti- diarrhea and to puerperal women. implantation and anti-ovulatory activity in rats and rabbits, respectively; it also showed The flowers yield a brilliant, but very partial abortive activity in mice. A crude, fugitive, yellow dye. It is contained in the saline extract (0.9%) of seeds agglutinates sap and may be obtained in the form of a the erythrocytes of several animal species. decoction or an infusion from dried flowers. The decoction is used to dye cotton fabrics, Wood- The wood is white when freshly cut, woolen carpets and to control white ants in ageing rapidly to pale yellowish brown, the field. The powder of the flowers is used frequently becoming grayish brown or grey during Holi. from stain. It is lustrous when first exposed, especially on the radial surface, but soon Seed- The seeds possess a faint odour, and becomes dull from stain; it has a rather taste slightly acrid and bitter. They are rough feel. It is soft, light (wt, 545kg/m3), reported to possess aperients and rubefacient straight or somewhat cross-grained and properties; they are sometimes substituted extremely coarse- textured. It is not a strong for santonin. A composite powder from the timber. It is easy to work either by hand or dried seeds of B. monosperma, Embelia on machine. Graveyard tests on the natural ribes Burm.f. and Mallotus philippensis durability of the timber showed that the Muell-Arg was found to be effective in average life of the wood is less than 10 controlling the worm Hymenolepis nana months. It is mainly used for well-curbs, (V.Siebold) in human intestine. However, water-scoops and rough packing-cases. It is the clinical use of seeds as an anthelmintic ______Neelam et al. 2015 Greentree Group © IJAPC Int J Ayu Pharm Chem 2015 Vol. 2 Issue 3 www.ijapc.com 101 [e ISSN 2350-0204]

Int J Ayu Pharm Chem the source of charcoal used for gun powder. commerce obtained from Pterocarpus It can also be employed as a cheap board- marsupium Roxb. The gum is also used for wood. Sometimes it is used for structural dyeing and tanning 14. work. The chief drawback which prevents CONCLUSION more extensive use of the wood is the short From the time immemorial, plants have been length of logs and their irregular shape. It is used as curative agent for variety of a moderate fuel. It possesses decolorizing ailments. Herbs are the natural drugs used to properties and can be used for purification regain the alterations made in normal purposes. The pulp obtained from a mixture physiological system by foreign organisms of hardwoods containing the wood of B. or by any malfunctioning of the body. In monosperma is suitable for Braille printing every ethnic group there exists a traditional paper and wrapping paper and can also be health care system, which is culturally used for making newsprint. patterned. In rural communities, health care Gum- A red juices exudes from natural seems to be the first and foremost line of cracks and also from artificial incisions in defense. It is very essential to have a proper the bark. When fresh, the juice is ruby red documentation of medicinal plants and to and transparent. It dries to form a gum know their potential for the improvement of known as BUTEA GUM or BENGAL health and hygiene through an eco friendly KINO. The fresh juice is applied to ulcers system. Thus importance should be given to and in relaxed, congested and septic sore the potentiality of ethnomedicinal studies as throat. The gum is a powerful astringent; it these can provide a very effective strategy is given internally for diarrhea and for the discovery of useful medicinally dysentery, phthisis and hemorrhage from active identity. A detailed and systematic stomach and bladder; its infusion is study is required for identification, occasionally employed as a local application cataloguing and documentation of plants, in leucorrhoea. A solution of the gum is which may provide a meaningful way for applied to bruises and erysipelatous the promotion of the traditional knowledge inflammations and ringworm. The gum is of the herbal medicinal plants. The present reported to be often used as a substitute for review reveals that the plant B.monosprema or an adulterant of genuine gum Kino of is used in treating various ailments. Wherein

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Int J Ayu Pharm Chem a detailed research work in the characterization and standardization is utmost required for this potential plant for developing its various formulations, which can ultimately be beneficial for human beings as well as animals. However, various studies are carried out, and authenticated comparative study will explore much depth about this plant used in the name “Flame of the forest”.

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REFERENCES 9. Jarald E.Edwin and Jarald S. Edwin, 1. Anonymous- The Wealth of India (Raw Colour Atlas of Medicinal Plants, CBS materials series), Vol 2B, CSIR, New Delhi, publishers and Distributers, New Delhi, Reprinted 1988; p.no.341-346. 2006; p.no.54. 2. Shastri K, Chaturvedi G, Vidyotini, Hindi 10. Kirtikar KR, Basu BD, Indian Medicinal commentary of Caraka Samhita, Vol I, Sutra Plants, Vol I (2nd ed.), Reprinted 2006; sathana, Chapter 4, Chaukhambha Bharti p.no.785. Academy, Varanasi, Reprint 2011. 11. Sharma PV, Namarupajnanam, 3. Shastri Ambikadutta, edited with Chaukhambha Visvabharati, Varanasi, Ayurveda- Tattav- Sandipica, Reprinted 2011; p.no.123. Susrutasamhita of Susruta. Sutrasthana, 12. Anonymous- The Wealth of India (Raw chapter 37, Chaukhambha Sanskrita materials series), Vol 2B, CSIR, New Delhi, Sansthana, Varanasi; Reprint 2009. Reprinted 1988; p.no.341-346. 4. Gupta Atridev, edited with the Vidyotini 13. Anonymous- The Wealth of India (Raw Hindi Commentary, Astangahridayam of materials series), Vol 2B, CSIR, New Delhi, Vagbhata, Sutrasthana, chapter 15. Reprinted 1988; p.no.343-346. Chaukhambha Prakashana, Varanasi, 14. Anonymous- The Wealth of India (Raw Reprint 2010. materials series), Vol 2B, CSIR, New Delhi, 5. Indu, Sasilekha Sanskrit Commentry of Reprinted 1988; p.no.341-346. Astangasangraha, Sutrasthana, chapter 16, Chaukhambha Sanskrita Series. Varanasi. 6. Chunekar K C, BhavaprakashaNighantu, Chaukhambha Bharti Academy, Varanasi, Reprint 2010. 7. Vaidya Bapalal, Nighantu Adarsha, Chaukhambha Bharti Academy, Varanasi, Reprint 2007 8. Sharma PV, Dhanvantari Nighantu, Chaukhamba Orientalia, Varanasi, Reprinted 2008.

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