Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Western · Unani
Siris tree (Albizia lebbeck), of the Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family. Large spreading deciduous tree with bipinnate leaves and flat papery seed-pods; native range: the Indian subcontinent and Indomalaya, now planted across the tropics as a shade and avenue tree. Globally recognized as shirisha in Sanskrit, siris in Hindi, siris in Arabic, and lebbeck · woman's-tongue tree · East Indian walnut in English. The part used is bark, seed, flower. The bark is strongly astringent, bitter and a little acrid, drying the mouth; the flowers sweetly fragrant.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
SIRIS TREE
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Siris tree
- Scientific name
- Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth.
- Family
- Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Form
- Part used
- bark, seed, flower
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- astringent · bitter · sweet (kashaya , tikta , madhura)
- Western
- astringent · bitter
- Unani
- astringent · bitter
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna, mildly — anushna as some hold)
- Western
- cool
- Unani
- temperate (inclining cold & dry)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- immune · lungs · skin · blood
- Unani
- skin · stomach · nerves
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- vishaghna (antitoxic, antivenom), kandughna (antipruritic), shothahara (anti-inflammatory), kapha-pitta-hara, tvachya (for the skin)
- Western
- anti-allergic, antihistaminic, bronchodilator, astringent, for atopy and asthma
- Unani
- daf-e-taseem (antitoxic), qabiz (astringent), mujaffif (desiccant), for skin eruptions and bites
Cautions
- Contraindications
- no notable contraindication in customary dose; caution in severe constipation for its astringency
- Toxicity
- the seed is drying and constipating in excess; large doses may irritate the gut
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