Salmalia malabarica
(DC) Schott & Endi.
Synonym Born bax ceiba Linn.
Bombax malabaricurn DC.
Gossarnpinus rnalabarica (DC.)
Merr.
Family Born bacaceae.
Habitat The hotter parts of India, up to 1,350 m.
Ayurvedic Shaalmali, Mochaa,
Mochaahva, Pichhila, Raktapushpa, Sthiraayu, Kankataadhya, Tuulini. Shaalmali-veshtaka (gum).
Unani Semal. Mochras (gum).
Siddha Mul Ilavam. lelavampisin
(gum).
Folk Semar.
Action Young roots (Semulmusali)—astringent, (used for dysentery) stimulant, demulcent. Fruits—stimulant, diuretic, expectorant. Used for chronic inflammation of bladder, kidney also for calculus affections. Flowers— astringent and cooling, applied to cutaneous affections. Leaves— anti-inflammatory. Stem bark— demulcent, styptic. Aqueous extract
with curd is given for blood- dysentery. Bark—paste is applied to skin eruptions, boils, acne, pimples. Seeds used for chickenpox, smallpox, catarrhal affections, chronic cystitis and genitourinary diseases. Gum—astringent, demulcent, styptic. Used for diarrhoea, dysentery, haemoptysis, bleeding piles, menorrhagia, spermatorrhoea. Root and pod—used for the treatment of low vitality and debility.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India recommends the stem bark in bleeding disorders and in acne vulgaris.
All parts of the plant gave betasitosterol and its glucosides; seeds, bark and root bark, lupeol; flowers, hentriacontane, hentriacontanol; root bark, in addition, gave 7-hydroxycadalene. The seed oil yields arachidic, linoleic, myristic, oleic and palmitic acids; seeds contain carotenes, n-hexacosanol, ethylgallate and tocopherols; the gum contains gallic and tannic acids, yields L-arbinose, D-galactose, D-galacturonic acid and D -galactopyranose.
Younger roots contain more sug ars (arabinose and galactose 8.2%) and peptic substances (6.0%) than the older ones. They contain mucilage, starch (71.2%), mineral matter (2.1%), tannins 0.4 and non-tannins 0.1%, along with other constituents.
