Doctor Bon

The flame of the Forest commonly called “Palas” by the local people in Maharashtra, India is a small tree which grows to a height of 12 to 15 meters. In the summer months, when most of the other trees and shrubs are dry due to the scorching heat of the sun, Butea frondosa synonymous to Butea monosperma truly stands out like a flame in the forest with its clusters of orange colored flowers.

Very often, it has a crooked trunk and irregular branches. The trifoliate oval leaves are more prominent in all other seasons except the summer months when it is time for the floral buds to be activated. The leaves of this tree are collected by the local people and a few of them are woven together with small twigs to make circular disposable biodegradable leaf plates to serve food. These plates are then used by small large groups of people during special occasions like marriages, picnics etc.

Herbal use

1. It is used for the cure of night blindness and other defects of the eyes.
2. Helps to check elephantiasis.
3. Used as a laxative and for the expelling of worms from the body.
4. Useful in fractures of the bones.
5. Useful in dysentery, piles, hydrocele, ulcers, tumours and menstrual disorders.
6. Useful for checking cough and stomatitis or inflammation in the inner side of the mouth.
7. Useful for curing leprosy in the early stages, gout and skin diseases.
8. Very useful for the cure of Herpes or “Dhobie’s itch”

Instructions

1. The decoction of the root is used to take care of Numbers 1 and 2 above.
2. The decoction of the leaves too may be used to take care of Number 1 above.
3. The decoction of the bark is widely used to take care of Numbers 3, 4 and 5 above.
4. The gum of the tree is useful to take care of Number 6 above.
5. The decoction of the flowers is used to take care of Number 7 above.
6. When the seeds are pounded with lemon juice, they act as a powerful rubefacient and have been successfully used as a cure for Herpes or “Dhobie’s itch”.

Major Parts used

The root, bark, gum, leaves, flowers and seeds.