Delonix regia

HABIT: Delonix regia is a tall tree reaching a height of more than 15 m and a girth of 2 m under favourable conditions. The bole is short. The trunk is buttressed and the stem form above the buttress is generally normal in taper (Webb et al., 1984). The trees are almost evergreen, with broad-spreading, open, umbrella-shaped crowns (Randhawa, 1965). It is deciduous in localities which experience long pronounced dry seasons (Streets, 1962; Yusuf and Sheikh, 1986). The bark is grey or brown, smooth or slightly rough, and exfoliating (Gamble, 1902; Sheikh, 1993).

CONSERVATION STATUS: Evaluated as 'Threatened Species' by IUCN.

MEDICINAL USES: Delonix regia appears to have a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities in various ailments. Its different parts have been explored for various biological activities such as antioxidant, antiarthiritic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antidiarrhoeal, anthelmintic, antiemetic, antimalarial, cytotoxic, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, larvicidal, antimicrobial, antihaemolytic, diuretic, and wound healing activities. The ethanomedicinal uses and findings justify the therapeutic application of D. regia in the indigenous system of medicine, augmenting its therapeutic value.

(Modi, A., Mishra, V., Bhatt, A., Jain, A., Mansoori, M. H., Gurnany, E., & Kumar, V. (2016). Delonix regia: historic perspectives and modern phytochemical and pharmacological researches. Chinese journal of natural medicines, 14(1), 31-39.)

ETHNOBOTANICAL USES: It is a part of local medicine and traditional bioproducts (Sharma et al., 2015). The Shaiji community in Southwestern Bangladesh the flowers of this plant are used for curing chronic fever (Halim et al., 2007). During the study on the traditional medicines and herbal plants in Nigeria the flowers of Delonix regia was noted to possess antibacterial activity (Ode et al., 2011). The medicinal plants were used to cure wounds in Darikal Gaon of Tezpur, in Assam (North-East India). The leaves have also been used to treat constipation, inflammation, arthritis and hemiplagia in Koothanoallur and Marakkadai, Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu, India (Rekha et al., 2013). The leaves and fruits are used in piles and helminthiasis in the areas of Pirojpur district, Bangladesh (Rahmatullah et al., 2010). The bark used as traditional fever remedy in Zambia (Fowler et al., 2006). Delonix regia is an ethnomedicinal plant possessed antibacterial activity (Zahin, 2010) The seeds are used in pyorrhea; the roasted and crushed leaves are wrapped in a cloth and inhaled just after scorpion bite; infusion of flowers are used in bronchitis, asthma and malarial fever.