Sanskrit Name: Tunna, Panchala, Surabhidaru
Identification No :SDACH/HG/246
Botanical Name: Toona ciliata M. Roem.
Family Name: Meliaceae
Vernacular Names:
Hindi β Toon
Bengali β Toon
Marathi β Tun
Tamil β Sivanthi
Telugu β Nandichettu
Kannada β Shivani mara
English β 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, 18β25 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 β Azadirachta indica (Neem)
Adulterants β Non-medicinal redwood species
Phytochemicals:
Toosendanin (limonoid), flavonoids, triterpenoids, Ξ²-sitosterol, cedrol, tannins, alkaloids, saponins
Raspanchaka:
Rasa β Tikta, Kashaya, Katu
Guna β Laghu, Ruksha
Virya β Sheeta
Vipaka β Katu
Prabhava β Vrana shodhaka
Dosha Shamakta β Tridosha shamaka (Pitta-Kapha prominent)
Karma β 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 β 3 to 6 grams
Decoction β 20 to 40 ml
Leaf juice β 10 to 15 ml
IUCN Status:
Least Concern (LC)
Research Updates :
- 2020 β Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity (Kumar et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology)
- 2021 β Hepatoprotective effect in CClβ-induced liver injury (Singh et al., Pharmacognosy Research)
- 2022 β Enhanced wound healing in experimental models (Deshmukh et al., International Journal of Green Pharmacy)

