Bombax ceiba Silk_cotton Shalmali Unnamurika Mullilavu Ilavu Buruga Randhu alas Randu alas

Bombax ceiba L.
Family: Malvaceae
Synonyms: Bombax aculeatum L., Bombax ceiba Burm.f., Bombax ceiba var. leiocarpum Robyns, Bombax heptaphyllum Cav., Bombax malabaricum DC., Bombax thorelii Gagnep., Bombax tussacii Urb., Gossampinus malabarica Merr., Gossampinus rubra Buch.-Ham., Gossampinus thorelii Bakh., Melaleuca grandiflora Blanco, Salmalia malabarica (DC.) Schott & Endl

• Common name: Silk Cotton Tree, Kapok Tree Assamese: Dumboil 
• Bahas: Randu alas
• Bengali: শিমুল
• Chinese: 木棉花
• Dutch: Indische kapokboom
• Esperanto: Hinda bombako
• Greek: Βόμβαξ ο μαλαβαρικός    Vomvax malavarikos
• Hindi: शाल्मली Shalmali, सेमल Semal, शहतूत Shahatoot
• Japanese: キワタ
• Javanese: Randhu alas
• Kannada:  Kempuburunga
• Malayalam: Unnamurika, ഇലവ് Ilavu
• Manipuri: Tera
• Marathi: सांवर
• Polski: Wełniak azjatycki
• Portugues: Paineira-vermelha-da-índia
• Punjabi: Simble
• Sanskrit: Shalmali, Moca, Picchila, Raktapuhpa
• Tamil: Sittan, Sanmali, Mullilavu முள்ளிலவு
• Telugu: Buruga బూరుగ
• Thai: งิ้ว (พืช)
• Urdu: سنبل Sembhal
• Vietnamese: Gạo (cây)

Ayurvedic uses: Raktapitta, Vrana, Daha, Yuvanapidika [The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part- I, Volume – III]
Astringent, demulcent, diuretic,aphrodisiac, emetic [Medicinal Plants,  Kerala Agricultural University, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Research Station]
Acne (yuvana Pidika) - [Classical Ayurvedic Prescriptions for Common Diseases]

To increase the potency of a man - seedling roots of Bombax ceiba L. (salamali) to chew. To treat the nocturnal pollution [The nocturnal pollutions are, in fact, involuntary loss of semen during sleep. Most often, pollutions occur during the so-called “wet dreams” or erotic dreams] consume the flowers of Bombax ceiba L. (salmali). Rural folk of Assam use leaf to treat infertility; Santals find seedling spermatorrhoea.
Garhwalis and tribes of Dahanu forest use root to treat impotency. The roots are used in dysentery. The gum is useful in dysentery, haemoptysis of pulmonary tuberculosis, burning sensation. The bark is used for healing wounds. Leaves are good for skin eruption. Flowers are good for skin troubles. [Herbal Cures: Traditional Approach]
Young root tips are dried in shade and cooked as a vegetable for patients suffering from impotency. This vegetable is considered to be as good as the leaves of Adansonia digitata to increase the amount of sperm in semen. A half-cup extract of bark and flowers is taken for 3 d to treat sexual diseases such as hydrocele, leucorrhoea and gonorrhoea and to treat an irregular menstrual cycle. [Herbal Drugs: Ethnomedicine to Modern Medicine]

Young roots (Semulmusali)— astringent, (used for dysentery) stimulant, demulcent. Fruits—stimulant, diuretic, expectorant. Used for chronic inflammation of bladder, kidney also for calculus affections. Flowers— astringent and cooling, applied to cutaneous affections. Leaves— anti-inflammatory. Stem bark— demulcent, styptic. Aqueous extract with curd is given for blooddysentery. Bark—paste is applied to skin eruptions, boils, acne, pimples. Seeds used for chickenpox, smallpox, catarrhal affections, chronic cystitis and genitourinary diseases. Gum—astringent, demulcent, styptic. Used for diarrhoea, dysentery, haemoptysis, bleeding piles, menorrhagia, spermatorrhoea. Root and pod—used for the treatment of low vitality and debility.

Chemistry: All parts of the plant gave betasitosterol and its glucosides; seeds, bark and root bark, lupeol; flowers, hentriacontane, hentriacontanol; root bark, in addition, gave -hydroxycadalene. The seed oil yields arachidic, linoleic, myristic, oleic and palmitic acids; seeds contain carotenes, n-hexacosanol, ethylgallate and tocopherols; the gum contains gallic and tannic acids, yields L-arbinose, D-galactose, D-galacturonic acid and D-galactopyranose. Younger roots contain more sugars (arabinose and galactose  and peptic substances than the older ones. They contain mucilage, starch, mineralmatter, tannins  and non-tannins, along with other constituents. [Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary]

Various parts of the plant are used in fever, smallpox, rheumatism and leprosy. Bark is demulcent and tonic and is used in menorrhagia, leucorrhoea, diarrhoea, dysentery, boils, acne, pimples and coughs. Roots have stimulant, tonic and aphrodisiac properties and are given in impotency. Roots and barks are emetics. Young fruits are stimulant, expectorant and diuretic and beneficial in calculous affections, chronic inflammation and ulceration of bladder and kidneys. Seed extract is used as oxytocic and gonorrhea. burned infections, dysentery and urinary problems. [Selected Medicinal Plants Of Chittagong Hill Tracts]

Unani uses: Jaryan, Auram [The Unani Pharmacopoeia of India Part – I Volume - V]

53 Published articles of Bombax ceiba
1.    Impregnation of Bombax ceiba and Bombax insigne wood with a N-methylol melamine compound
Sint, Khin Maung; Adamopoulos, Stergios; Koch, Gerald; et al. - WOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY  Volume: 47   Issue: 1   Pages: 43-58   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00226-012-0482-y   Published: JAN 2013
2.    Ethnobotanical value of dry, fallen ovaries of Bombax ceiba L. (Bombacaceae: Malvales)
Gopakumar, S.; Bai, R. Yesoda - Journal of Threatened Taxa  Volume: 4   Issue: 15   Pages: 3443-3446   Published: DEC 26 2012
3.    Bioassay-guided studies on Bombax ceiba leaf extract: isolation of shamimoside, a new antioxidant xanthone C-glucoside
Faizi, Shaheen; Zikr-ur-Rehman, Sadia; Naz, Aneela; et al. - CHEMISTRY OF NATURAL COMPOUNDS  Volume: 48   Issue: 5   Pages: 774-779   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10600-012-0379-x   Published: NOV 2012
4.    The Population Ecology of Two Tropical Trees, Brachychiton diversifolius (Malvaceae) and Bombax ceiba (Bombaceae), Harvested by Indigenous Woodcarvers in Arnhem Land, Australia
Koenig, Jennifer; Griffiths, Anthony - ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT  Volume: 50   Issue: 4   Pages: 555-565   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00267-012-9911-9   Published: OCT 2012
5.    Study on properties of simul wood (Bombax ceiba L.) impregnated with styrene acrylonitrile copolymer, TiO2, and nanoclay
Devi, Rashmi R.; Maji, Tarun K. - POLYMER BULLETIN  Volume: 69   Issue: 1   Pages: 105-123   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00289-012-0742-x   Published: JUN 2012
6.    Effect of Bombax ceiba L. on spermatogenesis, sexual behaviour and erectile function in male rats
Bhargava, C.; Thakur, M.; Yadav, S. K. - ANDROLOGIA  Volume: 44   Supplement: 1   Pages: 474-478   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0272.2011.01210.x   Published: MAY 2012
7.    Physical properties of simul (red-silk cotton) wood (Bombax ceiba L.) chemically modified with styrene acrylonitrile co-polymer and nanoclay
Devi, Rashmi Rekha; Mandal, Manabendra; Maji, Tarun Kumar - HOLZFORSCHUNG  Volume: 66   Issue: 3   Pages: 365-371   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/HF.2011.164   Published: MAR 2012
8.    Curative treatment with extracts of Bombax ceiba fruit reduces risk of calcium oxalate urolithiasis in rats
Gadge, N. B.; Jalalpure, S. S. - PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY  Volume: 50   Issue: 3   Pages: 310-317   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/13880209.2011.604332   Published: MAR 2012
9.    Shamiminol: A New Aromatic Glycoside from the Stem Bark of Bombax ceiba
Faizi, Shaheen; Zikr-Ur-Rehman, Sadia; Versiani, Muhammad Ali - NATURAL PRODUCT COMMUNICATIONS  Volume: 6   Issue: 12   Pages: 1897-1900   Published: DEC 2011
10.    Cardioprotective effect of Bombax ceiba flowers against acute adriamycin-induced myocardial infarction in rats
Patel, Sita Sharan; Verma, Neelesh Kumar; Rathore, Beauty; et al. - REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE FARMACOGNOSIA-BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOGNOSY  Volume: 21   Issue: 4   Pages: 704-709   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-695X2011005000090   Published: JUL-AUG 2011
11.    Diuretic effects of young fruit extracts of Bombax ceiba L. in rats
Jalalpure, S. S.; Gadge, N. B. - INDIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES  Volume: 73   Issue: 3   Pages: 306-310   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0250-474X.93525   Published: MAY-JUN 2011
12.    A Study on the Occurrence of Mycoflora Associated with Fencing Post (Bombax ceiba L.) in Soil Contact
Hasin, F.; Islam, M. - Advances in Plant Sciences  Volume: 23   Issue: 1   Pages: 341-342   Published: JUN 2010
13.    Removal of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solutions using Bombax ceiba saw dust activated carbon
Sakthi, V.; Andal, N. Muthulakshmi; Rengaraj, S.; et al. - DESALINATION AND WATER TREATMENT  Volume: 16   Issue: 1-3   Pages: 262-270   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2010.1074   Published: APR 2010
14.    A note on a tree of Bombax Ceiba L. with red and yellow flowers
Bachulkar, Madhukar - Phytotaxonomy  Volume: 10   Pages: 143-144   Published: 2010
15.    Myths, traditions and fate of multipurpose Bombax ceiba L. - An appraisal
Jain, Vartika; Verma, S. K.; Katewa, S. S. - INDIAN JOURNAL OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE  Volume: 8   Issue: 4   Pages: 638-644   Published: OCT 2009
16.    Antioxidant activity of methanolic extract of Bombax ceiba
Vieira, Tiago O.; Said, Ataa; Aboutabl, Elsayed; et al. - REDOX REPORT  Volume: 14   Issue: 1   Pages: 41-46   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/135100009X392485   Published: FEB 2009
17.    Occurrence of a bi-chambered fruit of the red silk-cotton Bombax ceiba
Paralkar, Vibhakar K. - Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society  Volume: 104   Issue: 1   Pages: 123   Published: APR 2007
18.    Regeneration of semul (Bombax ceiba L) plantlets through somatic embryogenesis from hypocotyl segments
Vaidya, K.; Bansal, Y. K. - Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy Part B Biological Sciences  Volume: 76   Issue: Part 3   Pages: 276-280   Published: JUL-SEP 2006
19.    Marine performance of Bombax ceiba treated with inorganic preservatives
Tarakanadha, B; Rao, KS; Narayanappa, P; et al. - JOURNAL OF TROPICAL FOREST SCIENCE  Volume: 18   Issue: 1   Pages: 55-58   Published: JAN 2006
20.    Pollination by bats and birds in the obligate outcrosser Bombax ceibaL. (Bombacaceae), a tropical dry season flowering tree species in the EasternGhats forests of India
Raju, Aluri J. S.; Rao, Srungavarapu P.; Rangaiah, Kone - Ornithological Science  Volume: 4   Issue: 1   Pages: 81-87   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2326/osj.4.81   Published: MAR 2005
21.    Somatic embryogenesis and plantlet regeneration in semul (Bombax ceiba)
Vyas, M; Bansal, YK - PLANT CELL TISSUE AND ORGAN CULTURE  Volume: 79   Issue: 1   Pages: 115-118   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11240-004-4427-5   Published: OCT 2004
22.    Correlation and path analysis studies between biomass and other characters in Bombax ceiba L.
Chaturvedi, OP; Pandey, N - SILVAE GENETICA  Volume: 53   Issue: 5-6   Pages: 269-272   Published: 2004
23.    Water repellent treatments for catamaran grade Bombax ceiba Linn. (Spermatophyta/Dicotyledoneae) wood
Aggarwal, PK; Chauhan, SS; Prasad, NRR; et al. - INDIAN JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCES  Volume: 32   Issue: 4   Pages: 340-343   Published: DEC 2003
24.    Harvest of Bombax ceiba for the Aboriginal arts industry, central Arnhem Land, Australia
Griffiths, AD; Philips, A; Godjuwa, C - BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION  Volume: 113   Issue: 2   Pages: 295-305   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(02)00419-6   Published: OCT 2003
25.    Antiangiogenic activity of lupeol from Bombax ceiba
You, YJ; Nam, NH; Kim, Y; et al. - PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH  Volume: 17   Issue: 4   Pages: 341-344   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1140   Published: APR 2003
26.    Hypotensive activity and toxicology of constituents from Bombax ceiba stem bark
Saleem, R; Ahmad, SI; Ahmed, M; et al. - BIOLOGICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN  Volume: 26   Issue: 1   Pages: 41-46   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1248/bpb.26.41   Published: JAN 2003
27.    Genetic divergence in Bombax ceiba L. germplasms
Chaturvedi, OP; Pandey, N - SILVAE GENETICA  Volume: 50   Issue: 3-4   Pages: 99-102   Published: 2001
28.    Pollination biology in Bombax ceiba Linn.
Bhattacharya, A; Mandal, S - CURRENT SCIENCE  Volume: 79   Issue: 12   Pages: 1706-1712   Published: DEC 25 2000
29.    Hypotensive, hypoglycaemic and toxicological studies on the flavonol C-glycoside shamimin from Bombax ceiba
Saleem, R; Ahmad, M; Hussain, SA; et al. - PLANTA MEDICA  Volume: 65   Issue: 4   Pages: 331-334   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-1999-14060   Published: MAY 1999
30.    Shamimin: A new flavonol C-glycoside from leaves of Bombax ceiba
Faizi, S; Ali, M - PLANTA MEDICA  Volume: 65   Issue: 4   Pages: 383-385   Published: MAY 1999
31.    In vitro propagation of Bombax ceiba L. (silkcotton)
Chand, S; Singh, AK - SILVAE GENETICA  Volume: 48   Issue: 6   Pages: 313-317   Published: 1999
32.    Leaf architecture in Adansonia, Bombax and Ceiba (Bombacaceae)
Bhat, RB - AUSTRALIAN SYSTEMATIC BOTANY  Volume: 9   Issue: 2   Pages: 255-260   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/SB9960255   Published: JUN 12 1996
33.    Seasonal anatomy of vascular cambium in young branches of Bombax ceiba Brume
Rao, K. S.; Srinivas, T.; Rajput, Kishore S. - Acta Botanica Indica  Volume: 24   Issue: 1   Pages: 17-20   Published: 1996
34.    Resource competition and foraging patterns on the flowers of silk cotton (Bombax ceiba) among nectarivorous birds
Dakwale, S.; Bhatnagar, S. - Tropical Ecology  Volume: 35   Issue: 2   Pages: 263-274   Published: 1994
35.    Leaf litter production and decomposition in Dalbergia sissoo and Bombax ceiba plantations in Uttar Pradesh
Singh, Omkar; Sharma, D. C.; Negi, M. S.; et al. - Indian Forester  Volume: 120   Issue: 8   Pages: 682-688   Published: 1994
36.    Fibre development in Bombax ceiba
Ramsden, L. - Biologia Plantarum (Prague)  Volume: 36   Issue: SUPPL.   Pages: S17   Published: 1994
37.    The Bombax ceiba forest in Monghan of Xishuangbanna
Li, Bao; Wang, Hong; Zhu, Hua - Acta Botanica Yunnanica  Volume: 15   Issue: 2   Pages: 191-195   Published: 1993
38.    PHOTOSYNTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF BARK TISSUES OF THE TROPICAL TREE OF BOMBAX-CEIBA L
MUTHUCHELIAN, K - PHOTOSYNTHETICA  Volume: 26   Issue: 4   Pages: 633-636   Published: 1992
39.    ETHEPHON INDUCED GUMMOSIS IN BOMBAX-CEIBA L. AND STERCULIA-URENS ROXB
BABU A M; MENON A R S - Indian Forester  Volume: 115   Issue: 1   Pages: 44-47   Published: 1989
40.    ALLELOPATHIC POTENTIAL OF SENESCED ANTHERS OF BOMBAX-CEIBA L, INHIBITING GERMINATION AND GROWTH OF LETTUCE SEEDS
KHAN, MI; JAHAN, B - PAKISTAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY  Volume: 20   Issue: 2   Pages: 205-212   Published: DEC 1988
41.    PROMISING ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF SHEMUL BOMBAX-CEIBA L. AS A TUBER CROP
GHATE V S; AGTE V V; VARTAK V D - Indian Journal of Forestry  Volume: 11   Issue: 2   Pages: 158-159   Published: 1988
42.    UNUSUAL TISSUE COMPLEXES FORMED IN ASSOCIATION WITH TRAUMATIC GUM CAVITIES IN THE STEM OF BOMBAX-CEIBA L
BABU, AM; SHAH, JJ - ANNALS OF BOTANY  Volume: 59   Issue: 3   Pages: 293-299   Published: MAR 1987
43.    NOTE ON OCCURRENCE OF WHITE VARIETY OF SHEMUL BOMBAX-CEIBA NEAR KARNALA BIRD SANCTUARY MAHARASHTRA STATE INDIA
VARTAK V D; KUMBHOJKAR M S - Indian Forester  Volume: 110   Issue: 6   Pages: 599   Published: 1984
44.    A NEW LEAF-SPOT DISEASE OF SEMAL
RAJAK, RC; RAJAK, RK; SANGHI, N - ACTA BOTANICA INDICA  Volume: 10   Issue: 1   Pages: 110-110   Published: 1982
45.    ESTABLISHMENT MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY OF BOMBAX-CEIBA GRAFTED SEED ORCHARDS
VENKATESH C S; ARYA R S - Indian Journal of Forestry  Volume: 3   Issue: 2   Pages: 103-110   Published: 1980
46.    NOMENCLATURE OF BOMBAX, CEIBA (BOMBACACEAE) AND COCHLOSPERMUM (COCHLOSPERMACEAE) AND THEIR TYPE SPECIES
NICOLSON, DH - TAXON  Volume: 28   Issue: 4   Pages: 367-373   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1219749   Published: 1979
47.    EPIDERMAL STRUCTURE AND STOMATAL DEVELOPMENT IN BOMBAX-CEIBA L (BOMBACACEAE)
KIDWAI, P - BOTANICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY  Volume: 68   Issue: 3   Pages: 227-234   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.1974.tb01760.x   Published: 1974
48.    PHARMACOGNOSTIC STUDIES ON THE STEM BARK OF BOMBAX-CEIBA
CHAUDHURI R H N - Bulletin of the Botanical Society of Bengal  Volume: 25   Issue: 1-2   Pages: 37-38   Published: 1971
49.    COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGY OF BOMBAX-ALBIDUM AND B-CEIBA
DAVIS, TA; GHOSH, RB - PHYTOMORPHOLOGY  Volume: 20   Issue: 4   Pages: 339-&   Published: 1970
50.    ECOLOGICAL STATUS OF SALMALIA-MALABARICA-D IN TROPICAL WET EVERGREEN FORESTS LETTER BOMBAX-CEIBA-D
NAIR P N - Indian Forester  Volume: 94   Issue: 10   Pages: 779-780   Published: 1968
51.    FLORAL STRUCTURE AND STAMENS IN BOMBAX CEIBA L
DAVIS, TA - JOURNAL OF GENETICS  Volume: 59   Issue: 3   Pages: 294-&   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02984235   Published: 1966
52.    Contributions to a monographic study of the genus Bombax s.l. II. The typification of B. ceiba L
ROBYNS, ANDRE - TAXON  Volume: 10   Issue: (6)   Pages: 156-160   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1216003   Published: 1961
53.    Revalidacion de Bombax ceiba L. como especie tipica del genero Bombax L. y descripcion de Pseudobombax gen. nov
Dugand, Armando - CALDASIA  Volume: 6   Pages: 47-68   Published: 1943