Botany
A smooth tree growing to a height of 8 to 25 meters. Compound leaves are 20 to 25 cm long, with 5 to 8 leaflets that are smooth, ovate, 6 to 15 cm long, with a larger terminal one, pointed at the tip and usually rounded at the base. Flowers are numerous, purplish, pink or nearly white, 1.5 cm long, on axillary and hairy racemes 12 to 20 cm long. Pods are woody, smooth, and oblong, 5 to 7 cm long, 5 to 8 mm thick, beaked at the apex, single seeded measuring 3 to 5 cm long.

Distribution
Common along the seashore and border of lakes.

Chemical constituents and properties
Seeds yield a thick, reddish brown oil known as pongam oil (also called pangamol or hongay oil) employed medicinally and as an illuminant and in the manufacture of soaps and candles.
The bark contains a bitter alkaloid.
Seeds are febrifuge and tonic.
Oil antiseptic and stimulant, stomachic and chologogue.


Parts used and preparation
Seeds, roots and bark.

Uses
Folkloric
Decoction of leaves given to children for cough.
Decoction of leaves used for a variety of gastric maladies (tympanism, dyspepsia, diarrhea).
Decoction of leaves used as bath for rheumatic joints.
Juice of stems, leaves, and roots for painful joints.
Gastric disorders (tympanism, dyspepsia, diarrhea): Decoction of leaves as needed.
Hemorrhoids: Use finely pounded leaves as poultice or roll into an elongated mass and insert into rectum as a suppository, at bedtime.
Skin disease: Roast seeds, pound and apply over afftected area.
Skin ulcers: Crush roots or leaves and apply juice over affected areas.
Mixture of oil and zinc oxide used for eczema.
Oil also used for pityriasis versicolor and other fungal skin problems.
Poultice of leaves used for wounds infested with maggots.
Juice of roots with coconut milk used for treatment of gonorrhea.
Flowers used for diabetes.
Others
Seed oil used as illuminant and in the manufacture of soaps and candles.

Availability
Wild-crafted.