A tree of the Indian subcontinent used for centuries in traditional Indian medicine. An orange pigment in its flowers calms inflammation and lengthens life in simple laboratory organisms; separate bark molecules stimulate bone-building cells without acting like estrogen. Almost all of this evidence is from animals and laboratory dishes. The best-established finding is a reversible harm to male fertility. (Full Review)

Protocol

Classical Ayurvedic preparations

3–6 g/day flower powder

Bark decoction 40 mL twice daily; alkaline ash 500 mg three times daily after meals. No dose-finding study exists in humans for any preparation.

Best time of day

With food, morning

Morning when combined with any glucose-lowering agent, so a hypoglycaemic dip falls during waking hours. Food reduces gastrointestinal irritation.

Single versus split dosing

Two to three divided doses

Split dosing is the consistent traditional practice, matching the rapid conjugation seen in animals.

Time to effect

Bone

12 weeks

Rodent bone effects required 12 weeks. Bone turnover markers are reassessed at 6 months and bone density at 12 months.

Urinary stone symptoms

2 months

The single human trial ran two months before assessing symptoms.

Realistic assessment window

8–12 weeks

No human time-course data exist. The realistic window is 8–12 weeks, not days.

Benefits

Low: Preservation of bone mass after estrogen loss; protection of the liver against chemical injury; reduced blood glucose and improved blood lipids; suppression of inflammatory signalling in joint and skin tissue; reduced symptoms of urinary stone disease; clearance of intestinal worms; relief of diarrhoea and dysentery; reduced weight gain and increased energy expenditure; accelerated healing of skin wounds; protection of the kidney against drug-induced injury; relief of nerve pain; suppression of seizure activity; protection against genotoxic and oxidative DNA damage; growth inhibition of bacteria and fungi; resistance to stress and modest memory support; support of erectile function and sexual behaviour; antitumour activity

Speculative: Extension of lifespan and stress resistance

Contraindications

Pregnancy, at any stage, and lactation

Men actively attempting conception, or sperm concentration below 15 million/mL

Hormone-sensitive cancers (estrogen-receptor-positive breast, endometrial and ovarian, active or in remission)

Chronic kidney disease stage 3 or worse (below 60 mL/min/1.73 m²)

Decompensated liver disease (Child-Pugh Class B or C)

Within two weeks of scheduled surgery, or on a narrow-therapeutic-index drug without level monitoring

Children and adolescents under 18

Key Interactions

Glucose-lowering medication (metformin, glimepiride, glipizide, insulin)

Anticoagulants and antiplatelets (warfarin, apixaban, clopidogrel, aspirin)

Narrow-therapeutic-index drugs cleared by the liver (tacrolimus, ciclosporin, warfarin)

Thyroid replacement (levothyroxine, liothyronine, desiccated thyroid)

Hormone therapy and estrogen-receptor modulators (estradiol, raloxifene, tamoxifen)

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin)

Sedatives and central nervous system depressants (benzodiazepines, zolpidem, opioids, alcohol)

Over-the-counter iron and mineral supplements (ferrous sulfate, zinc, calcium)

Blood-glucose-lowering supplements (berberine, chromium picolinate, bitter melon, alpha-lipoic acid)

Phytoestrogen supplements (soy isoflavones, red clover, kudzu)

Liver-loading supplements (high-dose green tea catechins, kava, comfrey)

Other longevity interventions (fisetin, quercetin, resveratrol) and senolytic protocols

Risk & Side Effects

Low: Suppression of male reproductive function; systemic toxicity from seed preparations; additive blood-glucose lowering; slowed bowel transit and reduced iron absorption; estrogen-receptor activity and pregnancy risk; suppression of thyroid hormone output; sedation and central nervous system depression

Speculative: Allergic and contact skin reactions; unpredictable interference with cancer immunotherapy

Monitoring

Marker	Target	Why
ALT	10–20 U/L (men), 8–18 U/L (women)	Detects liver cell injury
AST	10–25 U/L	Confirms and contextualises an ALT rise
Albumin	4.2–5.0 g/dL	Tracks liver synthetic capacity
Total bilirubin	0.4–1.0 mg/dL	Detects bile handling problems
Fasting glucose	75–86 mg/dL	Catches additive glucose lowering
HbA1c	4.8–5.3%	Shows glucose control over months
Haemoglobin and haematocrit	13.5–15.0 g/dL (men), 12.5–14.0 g/dL (women)	Detects the anaemia seen in chronic animal dosing
Ferritin	50–125 ng/mL (men), 40–100 ng/mL (women)	Tracks iron stores against tannin binding
eGFR	Above 90 mL/min/1.73 m²	Screens the organ showing tubular injury in animals
CTX	Lower half of the age-and-sex reference range	Measures the rate of bone breakdown
P1NP	30–60 µg/L in postmenopausal women	Measures the rate of new bone formation
25-hydroxyvitamin D	40–60 ng/mL	Sets the precondition for any bone benefit
TSH and free T4	TSH 0.5–2.0 mIU/L, free T4 in the upper half of the reference range	Detects the thyroid suppression seen in animal work
hs-CRP	Below 0.5 mg/L	Tracks the inflammatory endpoint the plant targets
Sperm concentration and motility	Above 40 million/mL, above 45% progressive motility	Monitors the best-replicated harm

Cadence: Full panel at baseline; liver panel and blood count at 8 weeks; fasting glucose at 4 and 12 weeks where any glucose-lowering agent is in use; semen analysis at 12 weeks in men continuing past one cycle; bone turnover markers at 6 months and bone density at 12 months.

Qualitative Assessment

Joint comfort and morning stiffness duration
Skin appearance and irritation
Bowel habit, specifically any shift toward constipation
Energy levels and exercise tolerance
Libido and morning erections in men
Absence of new symptoms: mouth or throat irritation, dark urine, or right-upper-abdominal discomfort

Butea monosperma for Health & Longevity

Protocol

Benefits

Risk & Side Effects

Monitoring

Qualitative Assessment