Mesua ferrea is found in humid areas, tropical parts of Sri Lanka, India, Southern Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Indochina, the Philippines, Malaysia and Sumatra, grows in evergreen forests, especially in river valleys in the eastern Himalayas and hilly regions in India, it grows at altitudes of 1500 meters. Tree grows over 30 meters in height, often supported at the base, with a trunk up to 2 meters in diameter. The bark of young trees is gray in color with gray peel, as the tree ages, gray bark becomes dark gray with a reddish-brown blaze. Leaves are simple, opposite, narrow, oblong lanceolate, with dark green color, 7-15 cm long and 1.5-3.5 cm wide, the bottom is white. Young leaves are red to yellowish pink. The branches are thin and hairless. Flowers are bisexual, 4-7.5 cm in diameter, with four white petals and center of numerous orange-yellow stamens. The fruit is a spherical capsule ovoid with 1-2 seeds.
Chemical composition – Contains mesuol. Flowers contain essential oil and oleoresins. Stamen containing two bioflavanone known as mesuaferone mesuaferrin-A and B. Other chemical components include mesuol, mesuaferol, leuco anthocyanidins, mesuone, mammeigine, mesuagine, euxanthone, xanthone derivative ferruol A & B, a triterpene-guttiferol, feraxanthone and essential oils derivatives.
Properties – Anodyne, digestive, antibiotic, antifungal, anthelmintic, hypotensive, antispasmodic, anti-anaphylactic, anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory, sudorific, hypotensive.
Recommendations – Metrorrhagia, menorrhagia, stomach pain, asthma, leprosy, cough, fever, vomiting, impotence, skin diseases, rheumatism, cough, dysentery, vomiting, sore throat, itching, hemorrhoids, erysipelas, excessive thirst etc..
This plant is incorporated in natural remedies KAMAIANY, SHECURE Syrup.