Shalmali
Bombax ceiba
Shalmali (Bombax ceiba) is a plant drug, also called Kantakadhya, Moca and Picchila.
| Botanical name | Bombax ceiba |
|---|---|
| Family | Malvaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Malvales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 3152226 · Wikidata Q13399160 · NCBI Taxonomy 45325 |
| Sanskrit | Kantakadhya, Moca, Picchila, Raktapuspa, शाल्मली (śālmalī), Tulini |
|---|---|
| Hindi | सेमल (semala), Semar |
| English | Silk-Cotton Tree |
| Tamil | Elavam, இலவு, முள்ளிலவு |
| Malayalam | Mullilavu |
| Telugu | Buruga |
| Kannada | Kempuburunga |
| Marathi | Katesavar, Sanvar |
| Bengali | Simul |
| Gujarati | Shemalo |
| Urdu | Sembhal |
| Punjabi | Simble |
| Assamese | Semul |
Sources: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (column alignment reconstructed); efloraofindia.com, Bombax ceiba: Hindi 'सेमल semal', 'कांटीसेंबल kaantisenbal', 'रक्त सेंबल rakta senbal'; efloraofindia.com, Bombax ceiba: Sanskrit 'शाल्मली shaalmali', 'शल्मली shalmali'; efloraofindia.com, Bombax ceiba: Tamil 'இலவு ilavu'; India Flora Online/IISc Tamil 'Ilavu, Purani'; efloraofindia.com, Bombax ceiba: Tamil 'முள்ளிலவு mullilavu'. How we source.
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 2012 to 2026, 11 with a DOI.
- 12Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people.true See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit | Shalmali |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Kashaya | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Snigdha, Guru | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Sheeta | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Madhura | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kwatha (decoction), Mocharasa (gum/exudate), Capsule, Taila (medicated oil), Lepa (paste), Vati (tablet)
Standard Dosage: 3-6 g bark/flower powder per day; 1-3 g Mocharasa (gum) per day; 50-100 mL kwatha twice daily; 500 mg extract capsule twice daily
Optimal Timing: Before meals for astringent action; Mocharasa with honey traditionally used for diarrhea/dysentery; flower stamens traditionally taken with milk or sugar for reproductive health
Storage: Mocharasa in airtight containers with desiccant, highly hygroscopic. Churna and capsules below 25 deg C, protected from moisture. RH <50% for gum preparations.
Marker Compounds: Shamimicin, Quercetin, Kaempferol, Gallic acid, Lupeol, Beta-sitosterol, Mangiferin (in some varieties)
Synergistic Combinations
- Lodhra (uterine astringent synergy, Raktapradara)
- Ashoka (gynecological tonic formulations)
- Nagakeshara (hemostatic combinations)
- Shatavari (female reproductive health formulations)
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Laboratory and animal studies12
- 2026. Bombax ceiba flower extract enhances antioxidant defense and wound healing effects in human keratinocytes and fibroblastsPharmaceutical biology. PMID 41995694 · doi:10.1080/13880209.2026.2655481
- 2024. High-quality genomes of Bombax ceiba and Ceiba pentandra provide insights into the evolution of Malvaceae species and differences in their natural fiber developmentPlant communications. PMID 38321741 · doi:10.1016/j.xplc.2024.100832
- 2024. Phytochemical screening and physicochemical analysis of oil extracted from seeds of Bombax ceiba and determination of antioxidant activityPakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences. PMID 39348638
- 2024. Phyto-pharmacological and computational profiling of Bombax ceiba Linn. Leaves revealed pharmacological properties against oxidation, hyperglycemia, pain, and diarrheaHeliyon. PMID 39170236 · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35422
- 2024. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance drought resistance in Bombax ceiba by regulating SOD family genesPeerJ. PMID 39131625 · doi:10.7717/peerj.17849
- 2023. Bombax ceiba flower extract mediated synthesis of Se nanoparticles for antibacterial activity and urea detectionWorld journal of microbiology & biotechnology. PMID 36646906 · doi:10.1007/s11274-022-03513-z
- 2023. An integrative GC-MS and LC-MS metabolomics platform determination of the metabolite profile of Bombax ceiba L. root, and in silico & in vitro evaluation of its antibacterial & antidiabetic activitiesNatural product research. PMID 36441059 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2022.2149519
- 2023. Single-cell RNA landscape of the special fiber initiation process in Bombax ceibaPlant communications. PMID 36772797 · doi:10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100554
- 2022. Bombax ceiba calyx displays antihyperglycemic activity via improving insulin secretion and sensitivity: Identification of bioactive phytometabolomes by UPLC-QTof-MS/MSJournal of food science. PMID 35279832 · doi:10.1111/1750-3841.16093
- 2020. Evaluation of efficacy of Bombax ceiba extract and its major constituent, mangiferin in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic ratsJournal of complementary & integrative medicine. PMID 32941163 · doi:10.1515/jcim-2020-0027
- 2015. Development and characterization of EST-SSR markers in Bombax ceiba (Malvaceae)Applications in plant sciences. PMID 25909045 · doi:10.3732/apps.1500001
- 2012. Effect of Bombax ceiba L. on spermatogenesis, sexual behaviour and erectile function in male ratsAndrologia. PMID 21806665 · doi:10.1111/j.1439-0272.2011.01210.x
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
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