Butea Monosperma (Kintz) is the Latin name of a moderate size tree that grows to a height of 12-15 Meters and belongs to the pea Family. In popular English it is called as the "Flame of the forest". In Urdu it is called "Dhak" and because of it fresh or dried flowers, it is also called as "Tesu tree".
The tree-lovers, because of its attractive orange-red flowers, plant it in their home-gardens as a curiosity tree. The tree produces flowers from February to April and fruits from May to July.
When the tree is in full bloom, it looks as if anybody has set the whole forest afire. It is native to India, where it still grows in abundance, apart from India; it also grows in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and parts of Pakistan.
The tree abhors and conditions and is propagated from the seed. In the days gone by, the modern sweetmeat merchants were known as "Halwais", who gave their customers the sweet they bought in "daunas" made from the Tesu leaves.
Now the "Halwais" are called sweetmeat merchants and the sweets bought by the people are given in fancy boxes made of cardboard or tin plates. If the sweets were bought in small quantities, they were given in plastic shoppers.
Thanks to the modern publicity and advertising gimmicks, their cities have also become well-known due to their specialties.
Butea is a medicinal tree and its different parts are valued for treating the human health problems. From the remote times, the tree has figured in the Ayurvedic and Tibb-e-Unanni systems of the eastern medicine.
The leaves, flowers, seeds, bark, root and the tree gum is still used as an ingredient for one or the other disease. The leaves are also used commercially for making "bidis" - an indigenous kind of cigarette made in the cottage industry of India. The medicinal uses of the various parts of the Tesu tree, according to J.F. Dastur an eminent Indian herbalist are as follows:
The Leaves:
The leaves are astringent, diuretic, tonic and aphrodisiac. They are given in diarrhea, heart-burn, diabetes, flatulence, colic, piles and are wormicide. They lower the blood sugar to the desired level. The infusion of the leaves is given in diarrhea, dysentery and also used as a mouthwash for the congested throats. A hot poultice of the leaves is applied to disperse boils, pimples and ulcers. The leaves are also used in treating the burning sensation of urine.
The Flowers:
The flowers are anti-inflammatory, astringent, diuretic, anthelmintic, rubefacient and anti-parasitic. They are also used in treating herpes, ringworm, apoplexy, arthritis and in birth control. The flowers are used for the treatment of liver disorders, sexual dysfunction, and arthritis and are a general tonic. The flowers are also used for dying cotton fabric.
The Seeds:
The seeds are a powerful anthelmintic. A paste of the seeds is applied to ringworms and pulverised seeds are used for killing maggots in sores and wounds. The seed powder is rubefacient. The seeds are also used to treat skin ailments, epilepsy, arthritis, dysentery, gonorrhea, ulcers, tumors, diabetes and the Dhobi's itch.
The Bark:
A decoction of the bark is given in cough, cold and catarrh. The bark is astringent, emollient, anthelmintic, appetizer and digestive. It is also used in anorexia, bone fracture, tumour and is anti-diabetic. The bark chewed with sugar-candy, gives relief in abnormal thirst and is antidotal to snakebites.
The Root:
The root has been used for filariosis, night blindness, piles, ulcers and tumors. The root is also used for non-medicinal purposes, for making cordage and paper besides many other uses.
The Gum:
The gum obtained from the trunk of the tree is called "Bengal Kino" and "Butea Kino". The gum is much-used in the indigenous medicines. It is astringent and is useful in hemorrhages. The gum powder is used to treat dysentery and also contains tannins and Gallic acid.
Dhak is not only valued for its multiple uses, but is also valued by the plant-lovers for its majestic flowers. The leaves of the tesu tree are used in cottage industry to make 'bidis' in the neighbouring India. The "Dhak" is one of the important trees, as it is one of the hosts of the "lac" insect that produces resinous substance used in furniture polishes. The wood of the tree is strong and used for making packing boxes and handles of small agricultural tools. The importance of the Dhak tree is also emphasised. In Urdu saying that "Dhak key teen path" which means that the ways of someone are unchanging.
Looking at the usefulness of the tree, we should try to grow more tesu trees in our public parks, roadsides and orchards during the afforestation programmes, as and when undertaken by the concerned departments to make Pakistan a substantial grower of Dhak like the other few countries.
(The views expressed are not necessarily those of the newspaper)
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