Name - वटः
Botanical name - Ficus benghalensis
Description - Ficus benghalensis is a very large tree, sending down many arial roots from the branches and young parts softly pubescent. Greenish white bark, Leaves-simple, alternate, often clusters at ends of branches and stipulate. Receptacles about 3/4 in diam., sessile and in pairs, axillary, globose, becomes red when ripe with three broad rounded nearly glabrous coriaceous basal bracts- Figs in axillary pairs, sessile, silky-pubescent, globose, red when ripe
Chemical Constituents- Stem bark contains leucoanthocyanins. Heart- wood contains taraxasterol tiglate. Leaves contain quercetin-3-galactoside, rutin, friedelin and Beta-sitosterol . Ripe figs contain glycoside.
Use - It is astringent in action. In diseases like head ache, eye strain, nasal bleeding, mouth ulcer, stomatitis, gingivitis, sore throat, gastritis, diabetes, cancerous ulcers, duodinitis, dysuria, piles -Latex used in rheumatism and lumbago. Infusion of bark considered tonic, astringent, used in diarrhoea, dysentery and diabetes. Leaves tonic and cooling
