ISSN: 0975-8585

Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical

Sciences

A Plant Review: Butea Monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze

Ashish Mishra*, Saket Verma, , Abhinav Prasoon Mishra

Advance Institute of Biotech and Paramedical Sciences, Kanpur, India.

ABSTRACT

Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze (Syn. Butea frondosa; Family Fabaceae), This is a moderate sized
deciduous tree which is widely distributed throughout India, Burma and Ceylon, popularly known as 'dhak' or
'palas', commonly known as ‘Flame of forest’. The family Fabaceae compromises of 630 genera and 18,000 species.
It finds use both medicinally and commercially with each part of the plant having utility. This plant species has been
found to display a wide variety of biological activities. The plant is traditionally reported to possess astringent,
bitter, alterative, aphrodiasiac, anthelmintic, antibacterial and anti-asthamatic properties. Bark yields red juice
known as ‘Butea gum’or‘Bengalkino’. Previous phytochemical examination of this plant indicated the presence of
various constituents some of these are Cajanin and isoformononetin; Stigmasterol; Butin; two known flavonoids,
isobutrin (3, 4, 2', 4'-tetrahydroxychalcone-3, 4'- diglucoside), and the less active butrin (7, 3', 4'-
trihydroxyflavanone-7, 3'-diglucoside); free sugars and free amino acids and (-)-3-hydroxy-9- methoxypterocarpan
(medicarpin) which were isolated from stem-bark extract; bark; seeds; flower; the petroleum ether extract of
flowers and petroleum and ethyl acetate extract of stem bark. Its reported pharmacological properties include
anthelmintic, anticonceptive, anticonvulsive, antidiabetic, antidiarrhoeal, antiestrogenic and antifertility,
antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, antistress, chemopreventive, haemaggultinating,
hepatoprotective, radical scavenging, Thyroid inhibitory, antiperoxidative and hypoglycemic effects and wound
healing activities. It is powerful astringent and is given in many forms of chronic diarrhoea. Seeds have anthelmintic
property especially for roundworms and tapeworms. Flowers yields a brilliant yellow coloring matter due to
presence chalcones. Such herbal medicines may provide potential effect as of compared to the conventional
available synthetic drugs, with less or no side effects.
Key word s : Bu tea m o no s perm a , Sti g masterol, Bu tin , Pal as, ch a lcon es .

*Corresponding author
E ma i l :[email protected]

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INTRODUCTION

Butea monosperma (Lam.) is commonly known as Flame of forest, belongs to the family
Fabaceae [1]. It is locally called as palas, palash, mutthuga, bijasneha, dhak, khakara, chichra,
Bastard Teak, Bengal Kino, Nourouc and is common throughout India, Burma and Ceylon except
in very acrid parts. The pods should be collected and shown before the commencement of
rains, root suckers are freely produced and help in vegetative propagation [2]. The genus Butea
includes Butea monosperma parviflora, Butea minor and Butea superba widely distributed
throughout India. The flowers are widely used in treatment of hepatic disorders, viral hepatitis,
diarrhea, depurative and tonic [3]. The flowers are also good source of flavonoids. The contents
of flowers are Butein, Butrin, Isobutrin, Plastron, coreipsin, and Isocoreipsin [10]. Isolation of
medicarpin with antifungal activity from this part of the plant has also been reported. From the
flowers of this plant species the flavonoids Butin, Butein, Butrin, Isobutrin, Palasitrin, Coreopsin,
Isocoreopsin, Sulphuresin, Monospermoside, Isomonospermoside and 7,3,4-trihydroxyflavone
have been isolated. The Euphane triterpenoid 3a-hydroxyeuph-25-ene and the alcohol 2, 14-
dihydroxy-11, 12-dimethyl-8-oxo-octadec-11-enylcyclohexane has been isolated from the stem.
The Imide palasimide has been isolated from the pods of this plant species [12]. Studies on anti-
oxidant status following ulceration indicate that free radicals seem to be associated with the
pylorus ligation and ethanol induced ulceration in rats [12].

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION [21]

Kingdom- Plantae – Plants

Sub-kingdom- Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Super-division- Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division- Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class- Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass- Rosidae
Order- Fabales
Family- Fabaceae – Pea family
Genus- Butea Roxb.ex Wild. – Butea
Species- Monosperma (Lam.) Taubert – Bengal kino

BUTEA SPECIES

Butea acuminate, Butea affinis, Butea Africana, Butea apoensis, Butea balansae, Butea
braamiana, Butea bracteolate, Butea cuneiforms, Butea crassfolia, Butea dubia, Butea
ferruginous, Butea gyrocarpa, Butea harmandii, Butea laotica, Butea listeri, Butea littoralis,
Butea loureirii, Butea macroptera, Butea maingayi, Butea merguensis, Butea minor, Butea
oblong folia, Butea parviflora, Butea pellita, Butea peltata, Butea philippinensis, Butea potting,
Butea pulchara, Butea purpurea, Butea ridleyi, Butea riparia, Butea rosea, Butea sanguinea,
Butea sericophylla, Butea spirei, Butea squirmier, Butea suberecta, Butea superba, Butea
varians, Butea volubilis [13].

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Butea superba is a native herb in the family of Papilionaceae. The preparation of Butea superba
tubers has been used as an alternative herbal treatment for erectile dysfunction in males [5].
The tubers of Butea superba have been found to contain estrogenic substances similar to
follicle hormones [6]. Roots of Butea superba show rejuvenating activity [7]. The root barks of
Butea superba shows 65% inhibitory activity on acetylcholinesterase [8]. Butea parviflora also
known as climbing Butea and palashabheda, is a large woody licine with large trifoliate leaves,
white or cream coloured flowers and single seeded fruit found throughout in India. Roots
contain rotenone .
OR OH
OH

OR'

R=H, R’=Glucosyl - Monospermoside, R=R’=H- Butein, R=R’=Glucosyl

- Isobutarin [5]

OR O
OH

OR'

’ [5]
R=R =H-Butein, R=R’=Glucosyl–Butrin, R=H,R’=Glucosyl–Isomonospermoside

OR O
|CH OH

OR'

’
R=R = Glucosyl [5]

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

It is an erect tree 12-15 m high with crooked trunk and irregular branches bark rough,
ash coloured, and young parts downy. Leaves are 3-foliate, petioles 10-15 cm long, stipules
linear lanceolate. Leaflets coriaceous (the terminal 10-20 cm long, broadly ovate from a
cuneate base, the lateral smaller, 10-15 by 7.5 – 10 cm, obliquely rounded at the base,
equilateral, the lower side the larger), all obtuse, glabrous above when old, finely silky and
conspicuously reticulate veined beneath, petioles 6 mm long, stout-stipelssubulate, deciduous
[2]. Calyx 13 mm long, dark rachis, pedicels about twice as long as the calyx, densely brown-
velvety bracts and Flowers are large, in a rigid racemes 15 cm long, 3 flowers together form the
tumid nodes of the dark olive-green velvety bracteoles small, deciduous, olive-green, densely
velvety outside, clothed with silky hairs within teeth short, the 2 upper connate, the 3 lower

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equal, deltoid. Corolla 3.8-5 cm long, clothed outside with silky, silvery hairs, orange or salmon
colored, standard 2.5 cm broad, keel semi-circular, beaked, veined. Pods stalked 12.5-20 by 2.5-
5 cm, thickened at the sutures, reticulate veined argenteocanesent stalked 2 cm long [9]. It is
capable of growing in water logged situations, black cotton soils, saline, alkaline, swampy badly
drained soils and on barren lands except in arid regions [13]. Leaflets are obtuse, glabrous
above, finely silky and conspicuously reticulately veined beneath with cunnate or deltoid base.
Calyx is dark, olive green to brown in colour and densely velvety outside. The corolla is long
with silky silvery hairs outside and bright orange red. Stamens are diadelphes, anthers uniform.
Ovary 2 ovule, style filiform, curved and stigma capitate. Pods argenteocanesent, narrowed,
thickened at the sutures, splitting round the single apical seed, lowest part indehiscent. The
seeds are flat, reniform, curved. The bark of pala is fibrous and bluish gray to light brown in
color. It exudes a kind of red juice when injured[14].

PYTOCHEMISTRY
A number of constituents have been reported from various species of Butea and they
belong to imides, lactone, flavonoids, sterols, and alkaloids [15].

IMIDE

Palasimide has been isolated from the pods of Butea monosperma along with
nitrogenous acidic compound and its methyl ester.
H2 O
H2 O
O
O H3
H3
1 H1 O
H

H4 H4

H5 Me H5 Me
H7 O H7 O
H6 H6

(1)PALASIMIDE [15] (2) PALASONIN [15]

CO2R
C

O N C H

C
H C H
Me
O

(3)R=H, NITROGENOUS COMPOUND [15]

(4)R=Me, METHYL ESTER OF NITROGENOUS COMPOUND [15]

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FLAVANOIDS

A potential flavone glycoside isolated from the seeds of Butea monosperma has been
identified as 5, 2’- dihydroxy- 3, 6, 7-trimethoxy flavone -5-O- -D-xylopransyl-(1-4)-O- -D-
glucopyranoside. It possesses the antiviral activity [21]. Two flavonoids are butrin and isobutrin.
A flavone glycoside identified as 5,7- dihydroxy-3,6,4’ flavone -7-O- -L- xylopyranosyl-(1-3)-O-
L- xylopyranosyl-(1-3)-O- L-arabinopyranos-yl-(1-4)-O- D-glactopyranoside have shown to
possess the antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, Tricodermaviride,
Penicillium digitatum . A number of flavonoids include Butin, Butein, palsitrin, coreopsin,
isocoreopsin, and sulphuerin, monospermoside, and isomonospermoside. A flavone, quercetin
has been isolated from stem bark of Butea frondosa. Two isoflavonoids isolated identified as 5-
methoxygenistein and prunetin [15].
HO

H3CO O

H3CO
HO
OCH3
O
O O
O O
HO
OH
HO
HO OH

5’2-dihydroxy-3,6,7-trimethoxy flavone-5-O- -D-Xylopyransyl-(1-4)-O- Ѡ -D-glcopyranoside [15]

OR O
OR OH
OH OH

RO' RO'

O O

Butrin; R=R’Glucosyl [15] Isobutrin;R=R’Gucosyl[15]

OH

OH OMe
O O
O O
HO O
O O
HO OH OH

HO OH
OMe OMe

OH O

5, 7 Dihydroxy-3, 6, 4’trimethoxyflavone-7-O--L-xylopyranosyl-(1-3)-O- Ѡ arabinopyranosyl-(1-4)-O- Ѡ D-

galactopyranoside [15]

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OR O OR OH
OH OH

0R' 0R'

O O

Butin; R=R’=H [15] Butein; R=R’=H [15]

OR OH
OR OH
O

CH OH

0R'

O 0R' O

Palasitrin; R=R’= Glucosyl [15] Coreopsin; R= Glucosyl, R’=H [15]

OR O
OR
OH O

C OH
H

0R'

O O 0R'

Isocoreopsin;R=Glucosyl, R’=H [15] Sulphurein; R= Glucosyl, R= H [15]

OR OH OR O
OH OH

0R' 0R'

O O

Monospermoside; R=H, R’= Glucosyl [15] Isomonospermoside; R=H, R’= Glucosyl [15]

OH
RO O

HO O
OH

OH
OR O
OH O OH

Quercetin [15] 5- methoxygenistein; R=H, R’=CH3 [15]

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RO O

OR' O
OH

’ [15]
Prunetein; R= CH3, R =H

ALIPHATIC COMPOUNDS
Two aliphatic long chain hydroxy acids and a derivative of hydrazine have been isolated
from the Ethanolic extract of Butea monosperma seed coat and identified as 15-Hydroxy
pentacosaonic acid and 1- carbomethoxy-2-carbomethydrazine. Two aliphatic compounds
identified as 3- hydroxy-25-ene and 2, 14- Dihydroxy-11, 12- dimethyl-8-oxo-octadec-11-
enylcyclohexane have been isolated from the stem of Butea monosperma . Aliphatic
compounds identified as 2-hydroxy- -methyl allophanic acids have been isolated from seeds of
Butea monosperma (Lam) Kuntze. Nonacosonic acid has been isolated from the stem of Butea
monosperma [15].

OH NH2 O

CH3(CH2)9CH(CH2)12CH2COOH O C HN NH C CH3

15-Hydroxy pentacosanoic acid [15] 1-Carbomethoxy-2-carbomethydrazine [15]

H O OH

OR
OH

3- Ѡ - hydroxy-euph-25-ene [15] 2, 14 – dihydroxy – 11, 12-dimethyl- 8 – oxooctadec –11- enylcyclohexane [15]

C
HN N OH

CH3 C
HO

O CH3 O

2, hydroxyl- Ѡ -Ѡ-methyl allophanic acids [15] Nonacosanoic acid [15]

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ALKALOIDS

Palasonin isolated from the seeds of Butea monosperma have shown to possess
antihelmintic activity. Monospermin has been isolated from Butea monosperma seeds.
Medicarpin isolated from petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extract of stem bark of Butea
monosperma has shown antifungal activity against Cladosporium cladosporioides [15].
O
H

HO O
H O
C
O O H
H3CO C N C CH3

H N C
H3C O
O
O OCH3 H

Palasonin [15] Medicarpin [15] Monospermin [15]

STEROLS

The petroleum ether extract of Butea monosperma stem bark yielded Lupenone, lupeol
sitosterol. Three compounds identified as stigmasterol, stigmasterol- -D-glucopyranoside has
been isolated from the stem of Butea monosperma. -sitosterol has been isolated from the
flowers and seeds of Butea monosperma (Lamk.) Taub. Which possess estrogenic activity.
- D-glucoside has been isolated from the seeds of Butea frondosa [15].

CH3
CH2

H3C
H3C
H CH3
H CH3

CH3 CH3
CH3 CH3

H CH3
H CH3
O
H3C H HO
CH3 H3C H
CH3

Lupenone [15] Lupeol [15]

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H H3C
CH3

CH3
CH3 CH3 CH2CH3

H H

HO HO

-Sitsterol [15] Stigmasterol [15]

H3C

CH3

ULG

Stigmasterol--D–glucopyranoside [15]

CH3

H H

ULG Sitosterol--D-glucoside [15]

MISCELLANEOUS
Four compounds identified as 3-methoxy-8,9-methylene dioxypterocarp-6- ene , 21-
methylene- 22- hydroxy -24-oxooctasanoic acid methyl ester, 4-pentacosanylphenol and
pentacosanyl- -glucopyranoside have been isolated from the stem of Butea monosperma
amyrin and sucrose have been isolated from the seeds of Butea frondosa . Proanthocyanidine
has been isolated from the bark and gum of Butea monosperma [15].
OMe O

O
O

3- Methoxy-8, 9- methylene dioxypterocarp-6- ene [15]

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O OH O

21-methylene - 22- hydroxy -24-oxooctasanoic acid methyl ester [15]

OGLU OH

pentacosanyl- -glucopyranoside [15] 4-pentacosanylphenol [15]

OH

H
HO O
OH
H

HO
H
OH

- amyrin [15] Proanthocyanidine [15]

Chemical Constituents [19]:

Flower: Triterpene, butein, butin, isobutrin, coreopsin, isocoreopsin (butin 7-glucoside),

sulphurein, monospermoside (butein 3-e-D-glucoside) and isomonospermoside, chalkiness’,
aureoles, flavonoids (palasitrin, prunetin) and steroids.

Gum: Tannins, mucilaginous material, pyrocatechin.

Seed: Oil (yellow, tasteless), proteolytic and lypolytic enzymes, plant proteinase and
polypeptidase. (Similar to yeast tripsin). A nitrogenous acidic compound, along with palasonin is
present in seeds. It also contains monospermoside (butein 3-e-D-glucoside) and so
monospermoside.

Resin: Jalaric esters I, II and laccijalaric esters III, IV, From seed coat allophanic acid has been
isolated and identified. Z- amyrin, e-sitosterone its glucoside and sucrose; lactone-
nheneicosanoic acid-delta-lactone.

Sap: Chalcones, butein, butin, colourless isomeric flavanone and its glucosides, butrin.

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Leaves: Glucoside, Kino-oil containing oleic and linoleic acid, palmitic and lignoceric acid.

Bark: Kino-tannic acid, Gallic acid, pyrocatechin. The plant also contains palasitrin, and major
glycosides as Butrin, alanind, allophanic acid, butolic acid, cyanidin, histidine, lupenone, lupeol,
(-)-medicarpin, miroestrol, palasimide and shellolic acid.

Stem: 3-Z-hydroxyeuph-25-ene and 2, 14-dihydroxy-11, 12-dimethyl-8-oxo-octadec-11-

enylcyclohexane. Stigmasterol-D-glucopyranoside and nonacosanoic acid.

PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF DIFFERENT PART

Different part of Butea monosperma possess various biological activities such as

antimicrobial, antifertility, anticonvulsive, antihelmintic, antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial, wound
healing, antigiardiasis and hepatoprotective, antihypertenstive, antitumor, antidiabetic, anti-
Inflammatory, free radical scavenging activity [18].

LEAVES

Antidiabetic activity

Single dose treatment Ethanolic extract of Butea monosperma of (200 mg/kg, p.o.)
significantly improved glucose tolerance and caused reduction in blood glucose level in Alloxan-
induced diabetic rats. Repeated oral treatment for 2 weeks significantly reduced blood glucose,
serum cholesterol and improved HDL-cholesterol and albumin as compared to diabetic control
group. Ethanolic extract of leaves also have antidiabetic and antioxidant potential in Alloxan-
induced diabetic mice. Ethanolic extract of seeds (300mg/kg b.w.) exhibited significant
antidiabetic, hypolipidemic and antiperoxidative effects in non-insulin dependent diabetes
mellitus rats. Aqueous extract significantly decreases blood glucose level both in normal
(p<0.01) and Alloxan induced diabetic (p<0.001) mice at 2 and 5 hr respectively. However, the
hypoglycemic effect is peaked at 90min and is not sustained as observed for the standard drug
Metformin. The effect of Butea monosperma(Lamk.) Taub on blood glucose and lipid profiles in
normal and diabetic human volunteers was evaluated which indicated a significant decrease (P
< 0.05) in 2 h post- prandial blood glucose (mg/dl) on 21st day in the diabetic subgroups treated
with 2 g and 3 g of powdered Butea monosperma (Lamk.) Taub. A significant decrease in total
cholesterol (mg/dl) was observed in normal and diabetic subgroups on day 21st post treatment.
Both normal and diabetic groups exhibited a significant decrease in total lipids on day 21st. This
study indicates that B. monosperma (Lamk.)Taub might possess important hypoglycemic and
hypolipidemic properties [20].

Anti-inflammatory activity

The leaves of Butea monosperma exhibit ocular anti-inflammatory activity in rabbits.

The anti-inflammatory activity of Methanolic extract of Butea monosperma evaluated by
carrageenin induced paw edema and cotten pellet granuloma. In carrageenin induced paw

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edema at 600 and 800 mg/kg inhibition of paw edema, by 26 and 35% and in cotten pellet
granuloma inhibition of granuloma tissue formation, by 22 and 28% [20].

SEEDS

Antihelmintic activity

Palasonin a compound obtained from seeds of Butea monosperma has antihelmintic

activity [15]. Seeds administered as crude powder at doses of 1, 2 and 3 g/kg to sheep naturally
infected with mixed species of gastrointestinal nematodes exhibited a dose and a time
dependent anthelmintic effect. The maximum reduction of 78.4% in eggs per gram of feces was
recorded on day 10 after treatment with 3 g/kg. Levamisole (7.5 mg/kg), a standard
anthelmintic agent, exhibited 99.1% reduction in eggs per gram. The anthelmintic activity of
different species of Butea has been reported against Ascaridia galli, ascaris lumbricoides,
earthworms, toxocara canis, oxyurids, dipylidium caninum and taenia, methanol extract of
Butea monosperma seeds showed significant anthelmintic activity in- vitro [20].

Anticonceptive activity

Butin which is isolated from the seeds of Butea monosperma administered orally to
adult female rats at the doses of 5, 10 and 20 mg/rat from day 1 to day 5 of pregnancy showed
anti-implantation activity in 40%,70% and 90% of the treated animals, respectively. At lower
doses, there was a dose-dependent termination of pregnancy and reduction in the number of
implantation sites. In ovariectomized young female rats, the butin exhibited estrogenic activity
at comparable anticonceptive doses, but was devoid of anti-estrogenic activity. Butin is a weak
estrogen in that a significant uterotrophic effect was discerned evens at 1/20th the
anticonceptive dose. It was reported that seed oil use as traditional sexual toner and
contraceptive [20].

Hemagglutinating activity

Seeds of Butea monosperma showing specificity towards human erythrocytes . The

lectins such as Butea monosperma agglutinin (BMA) isolated from the seeds of Butea
monosperma are responsible for agglutinating property; this property was only shown by seeds
not by flowers, leaves, roots and stems. Human blood group-A-specific agglutinins have been
demonstrated in some of the N-acetyl galactosamine/galactose–binding lectins, such as the
lectins. Hemagglutination test showed that N-acetyl galactosamine is the strongest inhibitor of
agglutination [20].

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FLOWERS

Antiesterogenic and antifertility activity

Methanolic extracts of Butea monosperma exhibited effect on uterotropic and uterine

peroxidase activities in ovariectomized rats & determine estrogenic/antiestrogenic potential of
antifertility substances using rat uterine peroxidase assay. Alcoholic extract of flowers of the
title plant has also been reported to exhibit antiestrogenic and antifertility activities. Butin
isolated from its flowers show both male and female contraceptive properties [20].

Hepatoprotective activity

Isobutrin and Butrin, the antihepatotoxic principles of flowers were reported and this
activity was monitored by means of CCl4 and GaIN-induced liver lesion in-vitro. The methanolic
extract of B. monosperma possesses hepatoprotective effects and also it might suppress the
promotion stage via inhibition of oxidative stress and polyamine biosynthetic pathway by
significant reduction in Thioacetamide-induced serum Aspartate transaminase (AST/SGOT),
Alanine transaminase (ALT/SGPT), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and gamma-
Glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) activities [20].

Radical scavenging activities

Ethyl acetate, Butanol and aqueous fractions derived from total methanol extract of
Butea monosperma flowers were evaluated for radical scavenging activities using different in
vitro models like reducing power assay, scavenging of 2,2 diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)
radical, nitric oxide radical, superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical and inhibition of
erythrocyte hemolysis using 2,2' azo-bis (amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH). Methanol
extract along with its ethyl acetate and butanol fractions showed potent free radical scavenging
activity, whereas aqueous fraction was found to be devoid of any radical scavenging properties.
The observed activity could be due to the higher phenolic content in the extracts (16.1, 25.29,
and 17.74% w/w in methanol extract, ethyl acetate and butanol fractions respectively) [20].

Antitumor activity

Intraperitonial administration of the aqueous extract of flowers of Butea monosperma

in the X-15-myc onco mice showed antitumorgenic activity by maintaining liver architecture
and nuclear morphometry but also down regulated the serum VGEF levels. Immuno-
histochemical staining of liver sections with anti-ribosomal protein S27a antibody showed post-
treatment abolition of this proliferation marker from the tumor tissue [20].

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BARK

Thyroid inhibitory, antiperoxidative and Hypoglycemic effects

Stigmasterol, isolated from the bark of Butea monosperma was evaluated for its thyroid
hormone and glucose regulatory efficacy in mice by administrating 2.6 mg/kg/d for 20 days
which reduced serum tri iodothyronine (T3), thyroxin (T4) and glucose concentrations as well as
the activity of hepatic glucose-6-phophatase (G-6-Pase) with a concomitant increase in insulin
indicating its thyroid inhibiting and hypoglycemic properties. A decrease in the hepatic lipid
peroxidation (LPO) and an increase in the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase
(SOD) and glutathione (GSH) suggested its antioxidative potential. The highest concentration
tested (5.2 mg/kg) evoked pro-oxidative activity [20].

Wound healing

Topical administration of an alcoholic bark extract of Butea monosperma on cutaneous

wound healing in rats increased cellular proliferation and collagen synthesis at the wound site,
by increase in DNA, total protein and total collagen content of granulation tissues, the tensile
strength also increased significantly & histopathological examinations also provide favourable
result So, it possesses antioxidant properties, by its ability to reduce lipid peroxidation [20].

Anti-diarrhoeal activity

Ethanolic extract of stem bark of Butea monosperma(Lam) Kuntz at 400 mg/kg and
800mg/kg inhibited castor oil induced diarrhoea due to inhibiting gastrointestinal motility and
PGE2 induced enteropooling and it also reduced gastrointestinal motility after charcoal meal
administration in Wistar albino rats Butea monosperma gum has also been found useful in
cases of chronic diarrhoea. It is a powerful astringent and also decreases bilirubin level [20].

MEDICINAL USES

Roots are used in treatment of night blindness, other site defects and elephanthiasis.
The bark is acrid, bitter, oily appetizer, aphrodisiac, laxative, antihelmintic, useful in fracture of
bones, diseases of anus, dysentery, piles, hydrocele, cures ulcer and tumours.The leaves are
good for diseases of the eye, used as strong astringent, antibacterial, tonic and cure for
pimples. The gum is astringent to the bowels, used in treatment of dysentery, stomatitis,
cough, pterygium, corneal opacities, cures excessive perspiration and flowers are sweet, bitter,
acrid, astringent to bowls, increase “vata” and decrease “kapha”, leprosy, strangury, gout, skin
diseases, thirst, burning sensation. A decoction of flowers is given in diarrhea and haematuria.
The juice is useful in eye diseases. The fruit and seeds are dry, digestible, antihelmintic,
aperients, and used in urinary discharges, piles, skin diseases, tumors, abdominal troubles,
given for scorpion string. Stem bark has antifungal properties [15].

January – March 2012 RJPBCS Volume 3 Issue 1 Page No. 713

 ISSN: 0975-8585

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[21] http//plants.usda.gov/java/classificationservlet

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