Distribution and Habitat:

The plant occurs in sub-tropical to tropical areas of East India, Andaman Islands and Western Ghats, upto an altitude of 1500 m.

Botany: It is a medium sized to large evergreen tree, 18-30 m in height and with reddish brown bark which peels off in thin flakes. 

• Leaves: Simple, opposite, thick, lanceolate, coriaceous, covered with waxy bloom underneath, and red when young.
• Flowers: Large, white, very fragrant, axillary or terminal, solitary or in pairs. Stamens are numerous, golden yellow, much shorter than the petals.
• Fruits: Ovoid with persistent calyx.
• Seeds: 1-4 in number, angular, dark brown, oily and smooth.

Properties:  Mesuaxanthones A and B and euxanthone are antiinflammatory, CNS depressant and antimicrobial. 

• The essential oil from the stamens is antibacterial, antifungal, anthelmintic and that from fruit is antifungal.
• Oral administration of a compound preparation containing Mesua ferrea (flowers), Foeniculum vulgare (seeds), Curcuma zeodaria (tubers),  Nigella sativa (seeds), Terminalia chebula (seeds) and T. arjuna (stem-bark) exhibited anti-implantation activity in rats.
• An Ayurvedic preparation containing M. ferrea has haemostatic and astringent properties and is particularly useful in uterine bleeding.
• Aerial part is spasmolytic and diuretic.
• Bark is used as tonic after childbirth. Bark and unripe fruit is sudorific.
• Leaf and flower is an antidote for snakebite and scorpion sting.
• Flower bud is antidysenteric. Flower is stomachic and expectorant.
• Seed oil is antirheumatic. Phenol containing fraction of seed oil is antiasthmatic and antianaphylaxis.
• Unripe fruit and flower is astringent .

Chemical constituents: 

• Seed oil gives 4-phenyl coumarin analogues-mesuol, mammeigin, mesuagin, mammeisin and mesuone.
• Bark gives ferruols A and B.
• Heartwood gives xanthones-euxanthone, mesuaxanthones A and B and ferrxanthone.
• Seed oil is rich in fatty acids.

Uses: Mesua finds varied uses in Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. 

• Leaves are used in the form of poultice that is applied to head in severe colds.
• Bark and roots in decoction or infusion or tincture is a better tonic and are useful in gastritis and bronchitis.
• Fixed oil expressed from seeds is used as an application for cutaneous affections, sores, scabies, wounds, etc. and as an embrocation in rheumatism.
• Dried flowers powdered and mixed with ghee, or a paste made of flowers with addition of butter and sugar, are given in bleeding piles as well as dysentery with mucus.
• In Ayurveda, it is an ingredient of “Nagakeshara-adi-Churna”, used for bacillary dysentery and in “Naga Keshara Yoga”, for piles.
• In Unani system, the drug is an ingredient of large number of recipes like, “Jawarish Shehryaran” a stomach and liver tonic, “Hab Pachaluna”, an appetiser and “Halwa-i-supari pack” a general tonic.

Formulations: Nagakeshara-adi-Churna, Naga Keshara Yoga, Jawarish Shehryaran, Hab Pachaluna, Halwa-i-supari pack, Brahmi vati, Ashvagandharishta, Chyavanprasha

Agrotechnology 

Soil and climate: The plant prefers plains, riverbanks or places which do not experience moisture stress for its luxuriant growth. Silty loam soil is suitable for its cultivation.

Propagation: The plant is propagated by seeds. Seed formation occurs in November-March. Seeds are to be collected and sown in seedbeds or polybags. 

Manures and Irrigation: Farm yard manure is to be applied twice a year. Regular irrigation and weeding are to be done. 

Harvesting: The tree flowers in the fourth year. Flowers can be collected, dried in the sun and marketed.