Butea monosperma: A Plant of Traditional and Medicinal Significance

Abstract

Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub belonging to the family is Fabaceae is widely found in India and other countries of Asia. The use of this herbal plant has been reported in conventional medicines for centuries. The crude extracts of varied parts of Butea monosperma consists of large number of phytochemicals such as lactones, flavonoids, alkaloids and many more which encompasses immense potential of medicinal properties including antibacterial, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory activities etc. Butea monosperma also comprises properties such as aphrodisiac, diuretics, astringent, tonic etc. The ubiquitous utilization of this herbal plant have resulted in their wide chemical exploration for their bioactive principles which may lead to the development of significant novel drugs in treating various ailments in future. This review will confer about the taxonomy, botanical description, traditional uses, significant medicinal activity and future prospective of Butea monosperma.