Palasha Beeja Powder (Butea Monosperma)

*Palasha tree is known as ‘’ flame of the forest’’ because of its brilliant red and orange flowers. It's said that the Palasha tree embodies the fire element. All parts of the tree are used for healing and maintaining health. The flowers, roots, gum, and bark are used for helping with kidney health, liver health, eye imbalances, skin manifestations, and sexual problems.

*Interestingly different parts of the tree are used to make disposable utensils, dishes, and bowls in India. Maybe due to its ability to increase metabolism the seeds of Palasha are known for their detoxing effect. It warms up the stagnant fluids and helps expel them through urine.

*Benefits include maintaining water balance, improves joint flexibility, improves gut health, cleanses the body of stagnation, expels parasites, keeps healthy sugar metabolism, supports kidney health, and strengthen bones.

Suggested Use: 1/6th to 1/4 teaspoon in powdered form, once or twice daily, or use as directed by your health practitioner.

Botanical Name – Butea monosperma
Family – Fabaceae
English Name – Bastard Teak, Bengal Kino

Morphology –
A moderate-sized, deciduous tree; bark fibrous, bluish-grey or light brown outside; Leaves compound, with three leaflets, rachis 12-22.5 cm long, leaflets hard, rigidly coriaceous, glabrescent above and silky tomentose beneath; Flowers terminal, red in color, appear on leafless tree giving an appearance of fire flame; Calyx dark brown, hairy outside and fleshy, grey-silky inside; Petals are bright orange-red; stamens, 2-adelphous; ovary shortly stalked; Pod 10-15 cm, bearing single seed at the end of the pod;
Flowering: February-April; Fruiting: May-July.

Physical and chemical properties of Palasha –
Taste – Pungent; Bitter; Astringent
Quality – Light to digest; Dry
Potency – Hot
Post Digestive effect – Pungent

Bhavaprakasha – Guduchyadi Varga
पलाशो दीपनो वृष्यः सरोष्णो व्रणगुल्मजित् |
कषायः कटुकस्तिक्तः स्निग्धो गुदजरोगजित् ||४१||
भग्नसन्धानकृद्दोषग्रहण्यर्शःकृमीन्हरेत् |
तत्पुष्पं स्वादु पाके तु कटु तिक्तं कषायकम् ||४२||
वातलं कफपित्तास्रकृच्छ्रजिद्ग्राहि शीतलम् |
तृड्दाहशमकं वातरक्तकुष्ठहरं परम् ||४३||
फलं लघूष्णं मेहार्शःकृमिवातकफापहम् |
विपाके कटुकं रूक्षं कुष्ठं गुल्मोदरप्रणुत् ||४४||