Tunna

Sanskrit Name: Tunna, Panchala, Surabhidaru

Identification No :SDACH/HG/246

Botanical Name: Toona ciliata M. Roem.

Family Name: Meliaceae

Vernacular Names:
Hindi – Toon
Bengali – Toon
Marathi – Tun
Tamil – Sivanthi
Telugu – Nandichettu
Kannada – Shivani mara
English – Indian red cedar, red cedar

Habitat & Distribution:
Native to the Himalayas and tropical India. Found up to 1500 meters in forests of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Assam, and parts of the Western Ghats.

Morphology :
Large deciduous tree, 18–25 meters tall.
Bark is greyish-brown with vertical cracks.
Leaves are alternate, pinnate with serrated leaflets.
Flowers are small, pinkish-white, in terminal panicles.
Fruit is a reddish-brown capsule with winged seeds.
Wood is reddish, aromatic, and lightweight.

Varieties:
Toona ciliata var. australis
Toona ciliata var. sinensis

Substitute / Adulterant:
Substitute – Azadirachta indica (Neem)
Adulterants – Non-medicinal redwood species

Phytochemicals:
Toosendanin (limonoid), flavonoids, triterpenoids, β-sitosterol, cedrol, tannins, alkaloids, saponins

Raspanchaka:
Rasa – Tikta, Kashaya, Katu
Guna – Laghu, Ruksha
Virya – Sheeta
Vipaka – Katu
Prabhava – Vrana shodhaka
Dosha Shamakta – Tridosha shamaka (Pitta-Kapha prominent)

Karma – Rogaghnata:
Vranashodhaka
Krimighna
Raktaprasadana
Daha hara
Jantughna

Amayika Prayoga / Therapeutic Uses

External:
Leaf paste for skin diseases, eczema, ulcers
Bark decoction for wound cleansing
Oil (with bark) for microbial infections

Internal:
Bark decoction in dysentery, fever, liver support
Powdered bark for skin allergies, blood purification
Leaf juice as mild laxative and hepatic stimulant

Part Used:
Bark, Leaves

Dose:
Bark powder – 3 to 6 grams
Decoction – 20 to 40 ml
Leaf juice – 10 to 15 ml

IUCN Status:
Least Concern (LC)

Research Updates :

1. 2020 – Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity (Kumar et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology)
2. 2021 – Hepatoprotective effect in CCl₄-induced liver injury (Singh et al., Pharmacognosy Research)
3. 2022 – Enhanced wound healing in experimental models (Deshmukh et al., International Journal of Green Pharmacy)