BEYOND THE COTTON: A REVIEW OF THE SILK COTTON TREE (BOMBAX CEIBA LINN.)

Shaily Shukla*, Dr. Shamim Ahmad and Dr. Virendra Singh

ABSTRACT

Herbal plants having medicinal properties, are the basic and most integral part of traditional medicinal system for the treatment of a variety of human disease. More and more people are looking for plant-based ingredients and natural products are emerging as a significant source of new molecular structures that lead to new drugs in all major ailments. Among so many herbs used in traditional medicinal system, Silk cotton tree or Bombax ceiba Linn. One of the herbaceous plant, which belongs to Bombacaceae family is well-liked among various tribal communities in the treatment of many widespread diseases and nutritional disorders. This plant is well-known for its towering height. It is mainly found in mild temperate and equatorial regions reaching approximately 1500 meters. Diverse elements of this plant, which may include the leaf, flower, root, bark, thorn etc. deal with multiple ailments and are frequently employed by native peoples and indigenous forest communities. Its therapeutic wellness activity to some extent is owing to the presence of phytoconstituents viz. shamimicin, bioflavonoids, phenol compounds, bombamalones, sesquiterpenes. The present review is focused to reiterate diverse dimensions of scientific inquiries on the Bombax ceiba Linn, pharmacological activities e.g. hypolipidemic, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, etc., polyherbal formulations containing B.ceiba and strategies to conserve this wonder plant.

Keywords: Herbal medicinal plants, Bombax ceiba, Shamimicin, Hypolipidemic, Anti-hyperglycemic, Polyherbal formulations.