Abstract

SIDDHA - MODERN IN CONFORMANCE OF BUTEA MONOSPERMA - A REVIEW

Dr. K. Niruba*

Abstract

Butea Monosperma is one of important herb that has been mentioned in many herbal medicinal litatures. Butea Monosperma belongs to the plant family Fabaceae/ Leguminosae and the order Fabales. In tamil it called as „palasu‟. It generally distributed in India, Ceylon, Burma and Java. It is common in Sri Lanka mostly in dry regions, Jaffna, Batticaloa, Bintenne, Polonnaruwa and Bibile. The purpose on the review focuses on siddha stanza about the general character of the Butea Monosperma with current research findings. The siddhars wrote their knowledge in palm leave manuscripts, as the form of stanzas, quotations which were denoted many medicinal uses of plants, metals and minerals. The study aim is to prove the siddhars concept with the analysis of current research findings. The therapeutic values which are expressed in siddha quotations are analogous with current research findings. The stanza indicates that the Butea Monosperma possess therapeutic effect to cure Mukkuttam, abdominal disorders, intestinal worms, diarrhea (kazhichchal),body pains (udal kudaichchal) and also increase the appitite. The gum which secreted from this plant use to strengthen the nerves, joints and chest, enhance the sperm count and intellectual function. Seeds of this plant can use to cure intestinal worms, body pain, Peptic ulcer (kunmam), eczema (karappan), ringworms (padarthamarai). The scientific validation emphasize seed oil of B. monosperma has antimicrobial activity against several human pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Extracts of the stem bark from B. monosperma displayed antifungal activity against Cladosporium cladosporioides. The seeds of B. monosperma showed significant anthelmintic activity. Stem bark of B. monosperma reduced gastrointestinal motility. The overall view corroborate and validates the stanza which has been described in the ancient siddha text gunapadam.

Keywords: Butea Monosperma, Palasu, Stanza.