Assessment of credibility of some folk medicinal claims on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Bombax ceiba</i> L.

Abstract

The present paper is an attempt to assess the credibility of various folk claims on medicinal uses of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Bombax ceiba</i> L. in view of scientific studies done so far. Almost all parts of the plant are widely used by tribal communities for gastro-intestinal and skin diseases, gynecological and urino-genital disorders, general debility, diabetes and impotence. There are direct evidences of scientific validation for six pathological conditions while its anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic and oxytocic potential provides indirect evidences for some of the folk medicinal claims and both these evidences authenticate the credibility of folk wisdom on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">B. ceiba </i>L.