Indian Putat

B. acutangula or Indian Putat is a plant from the Lecythidaceae family originating from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia (Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Sumatra), Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea and Northern Australia. This plant is an important medicinal plant in India and is used in various Ayurvedic formulations for the treatment of various diseases. All parts of this plant have been widely used since ancient times in traditional medicine, where the species occupies an important position for various pathologies and its components are being studied for possible use in official pharmacopeias. In addition, B. acutangula is also often used by people as a vegetable (its young leaves), fish poison (bark), a protective plant from the wind, and a source of wood (in shipbuilding, cabinet work, and carts).

Chik Nam (Thai), Samandarphal (Urdu), Kadambu (Tamil), Samundarphal (Hindi), Hijal (Bengali).

The habitat of B. acutangula is found scattered along the riverbanks, lakes in spruce forests and deciduous forests, as well as in seasonally inundated floodplains and freshwater wetlands, swamp locations, rocky or sandy beaches at altitudes from sea level to 400 m above sea level. It grows well in a wide range of soils, including heavy clay and likes permanently moist but well-drained soil, in a position in full sun or light shade. B. acutangula is tolerant of drought as well as waterlogging. But it cannot withstand long dry seasons and temperatures approaching 0 °C.

• Roots - fibrous and tap roots.
• Stems - multi-branched, has vertically slitted, wrinkled bark, brown-gray in color. The center of the wood is pink to reddish gray.
• Leaves - unifoliate, arranged alternately, elliptical to oval in shape, leaf surface rough and mostly smooth, dark green in color, leaf venation pinnate. The tip of the leaf is pointed, the base of the leaf is tapered. The leaf edges are wavy, finely toothed and the petioles are short (0.4-1.5 cm long). Scale leaves (cataphylls) are triangular to linear in shape. The leaves may partially fall off during long dry seasons.
• Flowers - has pendulous flower stalks that are as long as an arm. Each stalk contains up to 75 flowers that bloom at night. The flowers are small but showy, deep red, fragrant. Each flower has 4 - 5 (generally 4) petals and many stringy stamens that are dark pink to red in color, with 4 semicircular green sepals.
• Fruits - dry, capsule, 4-cornered or oval-ovate, pointed at the tip, fibrous, and corky with a rubbery interior that allows it to float and be dispersed by water. Each fruit is 2-6 cm long and 1-3 cm wide, and contains 1 seed inside. Ripe fruit is brown.
• Seeds - black, oval in shape.

• Plant propagation by seeds and stem cuttings.
• It is best to sow as soon as they are ripe in a position under full light. About 90% of fresh seeds germinate.

Triterpene saponins, acutangulosides A-F, acutanguloside D-F methyl ester, single triterpene aglycones, tanginol, barrinic acid, barringgenic acid, barringtogenic acid, tangulic acid and acutangulic acid, terpenes, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, glycosides, barringtogenol B, C and D, acids 9-Octadedecenoate, betulin-3-caffeate, amyrin, 3,3'-dimethoxy ellagic acid, dihydromyticetin, gallic acid, barthogenic acid, stigmasterol.

• In the Philippines, bark decoction used as stomachic.
• Used for treatment of seminal weakness, diarrhea, and gonorrhea.
• In Amboina and India, root and bark used for wounds.
• Juice of leaves used for diarrhea.
• In Sindh, fruit is used for coughs, colds, and asthma.
• Seeds are used as aromatic in colic and parturition, also for ophthalmic.
• Kernels are powdered, mixed with butter and sago, for diarrhea.
• In Bombay, kernels are used as emetic.
• Powdered seeds are used as snuff for headache.
• Seeds of the fruit, rubbed with the juice of fresh ginger, for nasal catarrh and to expel flatus in colic.
• Rubbed with water on the chest to relieve pains and colds, to the abdomen to relieve colic and flatulence.
• In India, fruits and leaves in alkaline decoction for abdominal and splenic disorders.
• Roots used to treat epilepsy.
• A few grains mixed with the juice of fresh ginger, taken internally, induce vomiting or help the expulsion of mucus.
• In Ayurveda, seeds and leaves used for vitiated conditions of pita and kappa, colic, intestinal worms, wounds, ulcers, skin diseases, hallucinations.
• Fruit incorporated in antiseptic ointment for venereal sores.
• Fruit used as anthelmintic and as astringent in gingivitis.
• Decoction of bark used as mouthwash in gum problems.
• In Sri Lanka, used for malaria.
• German Commission E monograph recognizes the bark for use in common colds, cough, bronchitis, fever and diarrhea.
• In India, stem bark used by tribal people of the Visakhapatnam District for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

• Ambil biji putat india cuci hingga bersih lalu tiriskan.
• Keringkan di bawah sinar matahari atau dengan oven suhu 40 °C  hingga kadar air 10%.
• Haluskan hingga menjadi bubuk.
• Simpan pada wadah bersih dan kedap udara.