Ethnomedicinal and pharmacological activities of Mochrus (Bombax ceiba Linn.): An overview

Traditional system of medicine mentioned the use of plants in treatment of various human ailments. Mochrus (Bombax ceiba Linn.) is one of the medicinal plants used in Unani medicine since time immemorial. It is a very tall tree with approximately 150 feet height. It is widely found in temperate Asia, tropical Asia, Africa and Australia. In India, it can be found at altitudes up to 1500 m. In peninsular India, the tree is very common in the dry as well as moist deciduous forests and near rivers. It is reported to possess qabiz (constipative); mujaffif (siccative); muqa^^wi rehm (uterine tonic); nafi sailan rehm (beneficial in leucorrhea); mumsik wa mughalliz mani (increase consistency of semen); muallide mani (production of semen); habise tams (amenorrhoic); daf fasaad khoon wa safra (purifies blood and bile); taskeen hiddat aza (hotness of organs); muqawi asnan wa lissa (tonic to teeth and gums) etc. Ethnobotanical studies prove that it is used in diarrhoea, asthma, impotency, boils, wounds, leprosy, pimples and many other skin diseases. It is an anthelmintic remedy since ancient time. Pharmacological studies like hypotensive, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antiangiogenic, antibacterial, cytotoxic, hepatoprotective, diuretic, anthelmintic, anticancer, spermatogenic and antihelicobacter pylori activities have been evaluated for various parts of this plant that confirms to its use in classical medicine.