Botanical Name

Shorea robusta Gaertn.

Family

Dipterocarpaceae.

Synonyms

Regional Name :- English : Saltree, Shaal tree, Hindi : Saal, Sakhuaa, Saakhu, Punjabi : Shala, Bengali : Shaalgaach, Gujrati : Shaalvriksh, Kannada : Kabba, Saal, Malayalam : Saalvriksham, Mulappumarutu, Marrathi : Shaalvriksh, Raalchaavriksha, Oriya : Salva, Shaaluaagachha, Tamil : Saalam, Telugu : Guggilam.

Part Used

Exudate.

Description

Raal tree is a large sub-deciduous, found extensively in parts of North-East and Central India. The bark of the young tree is smooth with a few long deep and vertical furrows. Leaves are ovate-oblong in shape.  The flowers are whitish in colour. These come out in auxiliary racemose panicles covered with white pubescence. Tree yields an oleoresin called Sal Dammar or Bengal Dammar.

Phytoconstituents

Bergenin, shoreaphenol, chalcone, 4_-hydroxychalcone-4-O--D-glucopyranoside, 12-hydroxy-3-oxo-olenano-28,13-lactone

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Kasaya, Guna: Ruksa, Virya: Usna, Vipaka: Katu, Karma : Kaphahara, Medohara, Vranasodhana, Grahi,Visaghna, Vedanasthapana, Stambhana, Krmighna

Ayurvedic Applications

Agnidaha, Kandu, Krmi, Kustha, Pandu, Prameha, Raktavikara, Sotha, Upadamsa,Vatavyadhi, Visavikara, Vidradhi, Vrana, Yonidosa, Karnaroga, Badhirya, Asthibhagna.

Medicinal Uses

Medicinally raal is used as an astringent in diarrhoea and dysentery. Sal resin yields an essential oil called Chua oil, used as a fixative, and for flavouring chewing as well as smoking tobacco; also employed for ear troubles and cutaneous diseases. It is  also used in Burning, Itching, Helminthiasis,Anemia, Blood disorders, Leprosy / Skin diseases , Ear Diseases, Metabolic disorder, Odema, Syphilis / Soft chancre, poison, Ulcer, Disease of female genital tract and also used in Bone fracture.