Caesalpinia sappan Linn.
Family Caesalpiniaceae.
Habitat Nalive to India and Malaysia. Cultivated in Bengal and South India, also grown as a hedge plant.
English Sappan.
Ayurvedic Pattanga, Patanga, Pattraanga, Raktasaara, Ranjana, Pataranjaka, Suranga, Kuchandana.
Unani Bakam.
Siddha/Tamil Patangam, Anaikuntrumani.
Folk Patang.
Action Wood decoction— emmenagogue, antidiarrhoeal; used in skin diseases.
The heartwood gave an anti-inflammatory principle braziin; amyrin glucoside, amino acids and carbohydrates. EtOH (50%) extract of stem exhibited semen coagulant activity.
Aqueous and chloroform extracts of the wood exhibited inhibitory action on cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase. The methanolic extract of the sappan lignan showed sleep-time-elongation effect in mice. Significant anti-hypercholesterolaemic activity is attributed to benziic compounds.
The oil exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activity
Plant pigments find use in facials which are resistant to light, heat and water and are non-irritating.
Dosage: Heartwood—6—l0 g