Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Bombax (Bombax ceiba), commonly known as the silk cotton tree, has a long history of use in traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. Its bark, flowers, and roots have been utilized for their purported antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties. In traditional contexts, decoctions and extracts of Bombax parts have been applied to treat infections and support recovery from various ailments, often in place of or alongside other herbal remedies, particularly before the advent of modern antibiotics.

Supporting evidence comes mainly from ethnobotanical surveys and traditional pharmacopeias, which document its use for skin infections, dysentery, and urinary tract infections. Some in vitro studies have shown mild antibacterial activity of Bombax extracts against a limited range of bacteria, but the results are inconsistent and far less potent than standard antibiotics. There are few well-designed clinical trials, and the available scientific data are not robust enough to recommend Bombax as a true alternative to antibiotics. Therefore, its use in this context is primarily tradition-based, with limited preliminary scientific support but no conclusive evidence of efficacy or safety as an antibiotic substitute.

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