● Product Type: Whole/TBC/Powder
● English/Common Name: Flame of the Forest Gum, Butea Gum
● Botanical Name: Butea Frondosa
● Indian Names: Kamarkas, Gond Chuniya, Palash Gond
● Origin: India
Astringent and very mild.
Hard, brittle granules or a fine powder.
The solid gum consists of small, brittle, ruby-red granules. The powder is a reddish-brown.
Kamarkas is the natural red gum resin obtained from the “Flame of the Forest” (Palash) tree. The tree is famous for its brilliant orange and red flowers that set the forest ablaze with color. The gum exudes from incisions made in the bark. It is initially a soft, reddish liquid that hardens into brittle, garnet-like granules upon contact with air.
● French: Gomme de Butea
● German: Butea-Gummi, Malabarkino
● Chinese: Zǐ kuàng huā jiāo (紫矿花胶)
● Arabic: و (Samgh butea)
● Spanish: Goma de Butea, Laca de Bengala
● Russian: Камедь бутеи (Kamed’ butei)
● Japanese: ブテアガム (Butea gamu)
Kamarkas translates to “tightening of the waist” and is a special herb used primarily for women’s health in traditional Indian medicine. It is a potent astringent used to strengthen the pelvic and back muscles, especially post-partum. It is highly effective in controlling back pain and weakness. It is also used to manage diarrhea and dysentery due to its powerful Stambhana (astringent, stopping) properties.
● As a Post-Partum Tonic: Traditionally, a small amount of Kamarkas powder is mixed into “panjiri” or “laddoos” (sweet, nutritious balls made with whole wheat flour, ghee, and nuts) and given to new mothers to aid recovery and strengthen the body.
● Note: Kamarkas should be used in very small quantities due to its potent astringent nature.
Our Kamarkas gum is ethically sourced from the forests of central India, collected by local tribes who have worked with this tree for generations.
The pure, ruby-red resin tears are carefully selected, cleaned of any bark, and then ground into a fine powder, ready for use in traditional wellness preparations.
