Abstract

AN OVERVIEW OF BUTEA MONOSPERMA (FLAME OF FOREST)

Apte Madhavi*

ABSTRACT

Since ancient times plants are used for their medicinal and cosmetic properties. India has well-recorded and well practiced knowledge of traditional herbal medicine. India has a centuries old system of medicine which has its own systematic information on drugs, their formulation and their use in humans, called the Ayurvedic system and also other traditional systems like Siddha and Unani. There has been worldwide renewal of interest in herbal system of medicines. Side effects of allopathic drugs have scared people all over the world and there is a consorted effort to find an alternative therapeutic method. Butea monosperma (Lam.) (Fabaceae) popularly known as ‘flame of the forest’ has been widely used in the traditional Indian medical system of ‘Ayurveda’ for the treatment of a variety of ailments including liver disorders. In this review phytochemistry and pharmacological potential of the Plant Butea monosperma is discussed in brief.

Keywords: Butea monosperma, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology.