Ethanomedicine and pharmacology of semal (Bombax ceiba L.)-A Indian medicinal plant: A review

Bombax ceiba L. is valuable herb in the ayurvedic and traditional systems of medicine. In traditional system of drugs various plant parts and exudates are used as medicine. On the basis of literature survey, plant is found to be beneficial as astringent, cooling, stimulant, diuretic, aphrodisiac, demulcent, dysentery, tonic and also useful in the treatment of asthma, diarrhea, wound healing, leucorrhea, anemia and tuberculosis. Apart from these, it is also reported as anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective, anticancer and anti-HIV activity, anti-helicobacter pylori activity, antiangiogenic activity, analgesic and antioxidant activity, inhibitory effects on tubelike formation of human umbilical venous cells, hypotensive, hypoglycemic activity, cholinesterase and antimicrobial activity. This review is an attempt to discuss the various pharmacognosy, ethnomedicinal, pharmacology and traditional uses along with reported phytochemical and pharmacological activities of Bombax ceiba.