7 - 10cm tall. Pits of size 50cm cube are made at a spacing of 3-4m and filled with sand,
dried cowdung and surface soil, over which the seedlings are transplanted. 20kg organic
manure is given once a year. Irrigation and weeding should be done on a regular basis. The
common disease reported is sooty mould caused by Corticium salmonicolor which can be
controlled by applying a suitable fungicide. The tree grows fast and may be ready for
harvesting after 4 or 5 years. This plant is coppiced and traded. The roots are also used for
medicinal purposes. The tree may stand up to 25 years.
Properties and Activity
Roots and heart wood of Coomb teak are reported to contain gmelinol,
hentriacontanol, n-octacosanol and β-sitosterol. The roots contain sesquiterpenoid and
apiosylskimmin, a coumarin characterised as umbelliferone- 7 - apiosyl glucoside and
gmelofuran. The heart wood gives ceryl alcohol, cluytyl ferulate, lignans, arboreol,
gmelonone, 6”-bromo isoarboreol, lignan hemiacetal and gummidiol. Leaves yield luteolin,
apigenin, quercetin, hentriacontanol, β-sitosterol, quercetogenin and other flavons. Fruits
contain butyric acid, tartaric acid, and saccharine substances (Asolkar et al, 1992; Dey,
1988).
The roots are acrid, bitter, tonic, stomachic, laxative, galactogogue, demulcent,
antibilious, febrifuge and anthelmintic. Bark is bitter, hypoglycaemic, antiviral,
anticephalalgic and tonic. The leaves are demulcent, antigonorrhoeic and bechic. Flowers are
sweet, refrigerant, astringent and acrid. Fruits are acrid, refrigerant, diuretic, astringent,
aphrodisiac, trichogenous, alterant and tonic (Warrier et al; 1995).