Mahua
Mahua is an Indian tropical tree found largely in the central, southern, north Indian plains and forests, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. It is commonly known as madhuka, mahuwa and Butter Tree. It’s botanical name is Madhuca longifolia which belongs to the family Sapotaceae. Madhūka tree is the sacred tree of various temples in South India.
Morphology –
It is a fast-growing tree that grows to approximately 20 meters in height, possesses evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage. It has a short, thick trunk with a diameter of 80 cm. The leaves are alternating and crowded at the branchlets’ terminals. The basic leaf blade measures 10-25 cm in length and 6-12 cm in width, is oval-shaped, stiff, thick, and hard, woolly on the underside, and exudes a milky sap when broken.
Young leaves are pinkish or crimson-brown. Blooms are borne on green or pink, hairy clusters, with each cluster containing 12 fragrant, white flowers. Pollinated blooms produce a meaty, greenish-yellow ovoid fruit with one to four lustrous, oily brown seeds. The seeds are 3 to 5 centimetres long, oval, and one-sidedly flattened.
Properties –
• Cooling agent
• Carminative
• Galactagogue
• Astringent
• Antibacterial
• Antihelmenthic
• Antioxidant
• Anti-cancer
• Analgesic
• Aphrodisiac
• Demulcent
• Expectorant
• Hepatoprotective
Parts Used –
Bark, seeds and flowers are the parts used for medicinal purposes of mahua tree.
How to consume Mahua?
• Boil dried mahua flowers with milk. A dose of 40-50 ml of this mixture treats weakness in nerves and diseases associated with the neuromuscular system.
• A dose of 30-40 ml of bark decoction of it treats diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome.
• The mahua flower juice in a dose of 20-25ml treats hiccups, dry cough, and hypertension.
• Boil mahua flowers with milk and sugar. A dose of 40-50 ml of this mixture increases sperm count, treats premature ejaculation, and increases breast milk secretion.
• The cold-infusion prepared using it’s bark or flowers in a dose of 30-40 ml treats fever, burning sensation in the body.
• Cold infusion of flowers or milk boiled with flowers cures general debility.
• The internal consumption of decoction of tree bark and topical application of seed oil treat rheumatism.
• The mahua bark decoction treats diabetes.
• The mahua leaves coated with sesame oil are covered over eczema to treat affected areas.
• The dose of 4 ml of liquid bark extract with 300 ml water is used to gargle to treat gum problems.
• The mahua seed oil (Illupai oil) is highly used to massage to get relief from pain.
• Mix mahua stem bark powder and gular latex. Take 5 grams of this mixture twice a day with warm water to treat respiratory problems.
• Mix it’s dried flowers with honey and ghee. Consume the mixture as a tonic which gives energy.
Health Benefits-
• Mahua flowers can cure impotency and general debility when consumed with milk.
• The roasted Mahua flowers are used to treat chronic bronchitis problem and also used in the treatment of cough.
• A decoction prepared by boiling it’s bark in water and taken internally can give relief from rheumatism. The oil obtained from seeds can also be applied to the affected areas to mitigate the symptoms.
• Flower Juice of Mahua is used to cure eye diseases, raktatpitta, and headache (flower juice used a nasal drop).
• Powder of Mahua flower is used to cure diarrhoea and colitis as Mahua flower act as an astringent.
• Raw flowers are used to increase lactation.
• Flowers fried with ghee are used to cure piles because it acts as cooling agents to cure piles.
• The study revealed that bark extract of mahua can help to reduce the circulation of glucose in the body with the right dose.
• Mahua leaves are also effective in cure eczema.
• Mahua flowers are highly nutritious and hence used generally as healthy tonic rich in protein.
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