Butea monosperma, also known as Palash or Flame of the Forest, has a gum resin, “Butea gum” or “Bengal kino,” used in traditional medicine for various ailments, including diarrhea, dysentery, fever, and jaundice, with potential benefits like anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant effects.

Traditional Uses and Benefits:
Diarrhea and Dysentery: The gum resin is used to prevent and treat diarrhea and dysentery.
Fever and Jaundice: It has been used traditionally to treat fever and jaundice.
Other Traditional Uses:
Restoring and contracting muscles and tissues after delivery: The gum is known for its ability to restore and contract muscles and tissues, particularly in females after childbirth, and is known as “Kamarakas”.
Cracked toes: The gum is used in crack creams to treat cracked toes.
Acidity and eye disorders: It’s used for acidity, eye disorders, and heat reduction.
Wound healing: The plant’s bark and gum are used for wound healing.
Potential Modern Benefits:
Hepatoprotective: Research indicates that the plant has hepatoprotective (liver-protective) properties.
Anti-diabetic: Research suggests that it may have anti-diabetic effects.
Anti-inflammatory: Research indicates that it has anti-inflammatory properties.
Anti-oxidant: Research suggests that it possesses antioxidant properties.
Anti-cancer: Research indicates that it may have anti-cancer effects.
Anti-microbial: Research suggests that it has anti-microbial properties.
Other Uses of the Plant:
Dye: The flowers are used to prepare a traditional Holi color called “Kesari” and as a dye for fabric, particularly for silk.
Fodder: The plant provides fodder for livestock.
Timber: The wood is used for making well curbs and water scoops.
Host for lac bug: It serves as a crucial host for the lac bug, which produces shellac.
Lubricant, water paint binder, and pesticide: The plant is used in the soap making and tanning industries.
Traditional remedies: The oil is known to have value in folk medicine for the treatment of rheumatism as well as human and animal skin diseases.
Herbal Properties: the plant has anti-diarrheal, anthelmintic, anti-diabetic, anti-stress, hepatoprotective, antifungal, astringent, aphrodisiac, laxative, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities.