Sanskrit Name
शाल्मली (Shalmali), also known as Shimbal
Identification No : SDACH/HG/253
Botanical Name
Bombax ceiba L. (Synonym: Bombax malabaricum)
Family Name
Malvaceae
Vernacular Names
- Hindi: Semal
- English: Red Silk Cotton Tree
- Bengali: Shimul
- Marathi: Sawar
- Tamil: Ilavamaram
- Malayalam: Ilavu
Synonyms – Bhav Prakash
शाल्मलिस्तु भवेन्मोचा पिच्छिला पूरणीति च |
रक्तपुष्पा स्थिरायुश्च कण्टकाढ्या च तूलिनी ||
(Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Guduchyadi Varga)
Classification
- Bhavaprakasha: Mentioned in Guduchyadi Varga; known for its kandughna, vrana ropana, shukravardhaka actions
Habitat & Distribution
- Found throughout tropical and subtropical India up to 1500 m elevation
- Common in forests, along roadsides, and cultivated for shade and fiber
- Widely distributed in Southeast Asia, China, and tropical Africa
Morphology
- Tree: Large deciduous tree up to 30–40 m tall
- Trunk: Covered with sharp conical prickles when young
- Leaves: Palmately compound with 5–7 leaflets
- Flowers: Bright red, large, bell-shaped, blooming before leafing
- Fruits: Long capsules containing silky cotton
- Seeds: Blackish, smooth
- Bark: Grey-brown, rough
- Roots: Used in Vajikarana
- Thorns and gum (mocharasa) are also medicinal
Varieties
- Bombax insigne is a close relative but not equivalent
Substitute / Adulterant
- Substitute: Ceiba pentandra (White silk cotton tree – not equivalent)
- Adulterant: Sterculia spp., Ceiba spp. in powdered bark or gum
Phytochemicals
- Tannins
- Flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol)
- Steroids
- Terpenoids
- Alkaloids
- Gallic acid
- Mucilage
- Saponins
- Gum-resin (mocharasa) contains complex polysaccharides
Raspanchaka
- Rasa: Kashaya, Tikta
- Guna: Laghu, Ruksha
- Virya: Sheeta
- Vipaka: Katu
- Prabhava: Vrana-ropana
- Dosha Shamakta: Kapha-Pitta hara
Karma – Rogaghnata
- Vrana ropana (wound healing)
- Kandughna (anti-pruritic)
- Shukravardhaka (semen enhancer)
- Stambhana (astringent, anti-diarrheal)
- Raktapitta hara (anti-hemorrhagic)
- Garbhasthapana (uterine tonic – traditional use)
- Prameha hara (anti-diabetic – root bark)
Amayika Prayoga / Therapeutic Uses
External
- Bark decoction or paste used in skin diseases and wounds
- Thorn powder paste in acne and pimples
- Mocharasa used in topical burns and inflammation
Internal
- Decoction of bark used in leucorrhoea, diarrhea, and diabetes
- Root powder as an aphrodisiac
- Gum used as general tonic and in pediatric care
- Flower decoction in bleeding disorders and dysentery
Part Used
- Bark
- Root
- Flower
- Gum (Mocharasa)
- Thorns (in cosmetics/traditional formulations)
Dose
- Churna (powder): 3–6 g
- Kwatha (decoction): 40–60 ml
- Mocharasa: 1–3 g
- Fresh juice (swarasa): 10–20 ml (bark)
Yoga / Formulations
- Shalmali Rasayana
- Mocharasa Yoga
IUCN Status
- Least Concern(LC).
Research Updates
- 2020 – Indian Journal of Pharmacognosy
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