Witnessed by: Ayurveda
Mahua (Madhuca longifolia), of the Sapotaceae family. Large deciduous tree with a broad crown and thick milky bark; native range: central Indian forests and the dry deciduous plains. Globally recognized as madhuka in Sanskrit, mahua in Hindi, and butter tree, honey tree, Indian butter tree in English. The part used is flowers, bark, seed (and its oil). Fleshy pale flowers that fall heavy with a heady sweet scent; the bark thick and astringent, the seed rich in fat.
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.
MAHUA
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- mahua
- Scientific name
- Madhuca longifolia (J.König ex L.) J.F.Macbr.
- Family
- Sapotaceae
Form
- Part used
- flowers, bark, seed (and its oil)
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- sweet (madhura), the bark astringent (kashaya)
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- cooling (shita)
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- balya (strengthening tonic), brimhana (nourishing), vrishya (aphrodisiac), stanyajanana (promotes lactation); the bark grahi and kashaya
Cautions
- Contraindications
- the sweet flowers are heavy and kapha-increasing — caution in obesity, sluggish digestion and diabetes-related kapha
- Toxicity
- the flowers and bark are wholesome; the fermented flower liquor is intoxicating
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