Health Benefits of Butea Herb

Butea also known as flame of the forest is a well known tree of India. The scarlet and orange flowers of the tree make its name appropriate. Butea is a medium sized tree, with compound leaves. The leaves fall in winter and flowers bloom in February – March in small but dense generally on leafless branches and the tree appears to be a flame. The fruits are flat pods with a single seed in each fruit.

This herb is indigenous to India. The trade name butea is used on the scientific name of the plant. The tree is found chiefly in the mixed or dry deciduous forests of Central and Western India.

The red colored gum called Bengal kino or butea gum, obtained from the tree, is rich garlic and tannic acids. The acid contain a yellow fixed oil moodooga oil or kino tree oil, small quantities of raisin and large quantities of water soluble albuminoid. Fresh seeds contain proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes. A number of fatty acids have been isolated from the oil.

Healing Power
The butea gum the seeds and the leaves of the tree have medicinal properties. The leaves of the tree are tonic and aphrodisiac. They are useful in arresting secretion or bleeding.

Diarrhea and Dysentery
The gum of the tree is useful is the treatment of diarrhea or dysentery. Its action is however mild, particularly suitable for children and women of delicate disposition. It is given in doses of 3 decigrams to 2 grams, with few decigrams of aromatics. The leaves can be chewed orally as a rectal enema would yield instant relief. Fresh juice of the leaves is also useful in these diseases.

Intestinal Worms
The seeds are administered internally, either in the form of powder or made into a paste with honey as an anthelmintic to all intestinal worms. They are specially useful in the treatment of roundworms and tapeworms. Recent experiments have confirmed their effectiveness in eliminating round worms. About a gram of the seeds mixed with honey can be given thrice a day or 2 days to treat intestinal worms. On the fourth day, a dose of castor oil may be administered to evacuate the bowels.

Skin Disorders
The seeds are beneficial in the treatment of certain skin diseases. The seeds, ground and mixed with lemon juice can be daubed on dhobi’s itch an eczema type of skin disorder characterized by itching. They can also be applied with gratifying results or ringworms. A hot poultice of the leaves can be applied to resolve boils, pimples, timorous piles, and swellings. The crushed seeds can be used for killing maggots in wounds and sores.

Diabetes
The leaves of the tree are very useful in diabetes. This reduces blood sugar and is useful in glycosuria that is presence of a large amount in glucose in urine.

Leucorrhea
The leaves are also beneficial in the treatment of leucorrhea. Decoction or infusion of leaves should be used as a vaginal douche for this purpose.

Sore throat
The leaves are useful in congested and septic throat decoction of the leaves obtained by boiling them in water should be used as a mouth wash in the treatment of this disorder.

Retention of Urine
The leaves are useful in treating the difficulty of retention of urine. The pubic region should be fomented with the leaves in this disorder.