Botanical Name :- Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth., Family :- Fabaceae,
Synonyms :- Acacia lebbeck (L.) Willd., Acacia speciosa (Jacq.) Willd., Acacia macrophylla Bunge, Mimosa lebbeck L., Mimosa sirissa Roxb., Feuilleea lebbeck (L.) Kuntze.
Regional Name :- English : Siris Tree, Lebbeck Tree, Hindi : Siris, Shiris, Sanskrit : Bhandi, Sitapuspa, Sukapriya, Mrdupuspa, Urdu : Siris, Punjabi : Sirish, Sareehn, Bengali : Sirish, Siris, Gujrati : Shirish, Kannada : Bagey, Bage Mara, Hombage, Malyalam : Vaka, Nanmenivaka, Marrathi : Siris, Oriya : Sersuan, Sirisha, Tamil : Vakai, Telugu : Dirisena.
Part Used :- Stem Bark.
Description :- Shirish is probably native to tropical Asia, but now in the Paleotropics. Within India, it is common all over, from the plains ascending to 1200 m in the Himalayas, and also in the Andamans. It is a medium-sized to large deciduous tree, common throughout the country. Bark 1.5 - 2.5 cm thick, external surface dark brown, rough due to longitudinal fissures and transverse cracks, rhytidoma forming major part of bark and peeling off in flakes exposing buff coloured surface, middle bark brown, inner bark much fibrous. Light yellow to grey; fracture, laminated in outer region and fibrous in inner region; taste, very astringent.
Phytoconstituents :- The main chemical constituent in bark is Saponins ( labbeekanins and sapogenins), condensed tannins, gums and acid isomers etc. Tannins also contains D-Catechin; Isomers- d- leucocyanidin, friedelanone, malacicidin, neo-leucoanthocynaidin, lebbecacidin, tridelin; Alkaloid- β sitosterol; Acids- echinocystic acids are present in bark of Sirisa.
Ayurvedic Properties :- Rasa : Madhura, Katu, Tikta, Kasaya, Guna : Laghu, Vipaka : Katu, Virya : Anusna, Karma : Sothahara, Tridosahara, Visghna, Tvagdosa, Varnya
Ayurvedic Applications :- Pama, Kustha, Kandu, Visarpa, Kasa, Vrana, Sotha, Svasa, Musaka Visa, Sita Pitta, Raktaduusti, Pinasa, Vismajvara, Pratisyaya, Sarpdansa, Visadusti, Suryavarta, Ardhavabhedaka, Krmi Roga, Netrabhiasanda.
Medicinal Uses :- It is used in treatment of leukoderma, leprosy, asthma, piles, Diarrhoea , Dysentery, Kidney diseases, skin diseases, itching, pruritis, wound healing, eye diseases, ulcers, syphilis, malarial fever, pain, inflammation, Pelvic pain during periods, cold and cough.