Family : Fabaceae

English : Indian kino tree

Hindi : Bijasal

Gujarati : Biyo

Sanskrit : Asana, Bijaka, Vijaysar

Part used : Stem Bark

Botanical Description: A medium sized to large tree, 15-30m in height with dark brown to grey bark having shallow cracks, exfoliating in thin flakes ad exuding a red gummy substance on injury; leaves compound, imparipinnate, leaflets 5-7, coriaceous, oblong, obtuse, emarginate or even bilobed at apex, glabrous on both surfaces, main nerves numerous, prominent, flowers yellow in terminal panicles, corolla with crisped margins; fruits nearly circular, glabrous, flat, winged pods, convexly curved between stipe and style., wings veined, seeds 1-2, convex bony. Flowering and fruiting from January to June.

It occurs throughout India.

Modern Pharmacological Action: Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. is a plant drug belonging to the group called rasayana in ayurvedic system of medicine. Rasayana drugs are immunomodulators and relieve stress in the body. In ayurveda, aqueous extract of heart-wood of P. marsupium is used in treatment of diabetes. Although there are several reports on P. marsupium as an anti-diabetic drug.