Description

Mesua ferrea (Ceylon ironwood / Indian rose chestnut / Cobra saffron) is a tropical evergreen forest tree distributed across south-east Asia. It belongs to family Calophyllaceae (Clusioid clade) of order Malpighiales and shows unique characteristics with its highly dense wood and a multitude of medicinal properties. M. ferrea has long been part of traditional medicine and its secondary metabolites from different parts of plant have showed antioxidant, anti-ulcer, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-hemorrhoid, immunomodulatory, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective and anticancer activities.