Kothala Himbutu is the Sinhalese name for Salacia reticulata, a woody climbing plant native to Sri Lanka, the Andaman Islands, and southern India. It belongs to the family Celastraceae and grows as a liana — twining through the branches of tropical forest canopy rather than standing as a tree in its own right. The parts of the plant used in Ayurvedic practice are the roots and the stem bark, and it is these that Lakpura supplies: dried pieces and chips that reveal the plant's character clearly, with a rough tan and grey-brown outer bark and a distinctly reddish-orange inner wood at every cut cross-section.
Kothala Himbutu occupies a long and well-documented place in Sri Lankan Ayurvedic tradition. Classical preparations called for the roots and bark to be simmered or steeped in water, and a particularly traditional method involved carving small cups or mugs directly from the root or stem wood and allowing water to stand in them overnight, absorbing the wood's constituents before being drunk the following morning. The plant is known in Tamil as Kadalainjil or Ponkoranti, and in Sanskrit as Saptaragni, names that trace its use across the broader South Asian Ayurvedic canon.
Lakpura sources this material from home gardens — a deliberate choice that reflects both the cultivated availability of the plant and the sensitivity around its status in the wild. The pieces are dried and packed in two sizes: a 100 g pack and a 200 g pack, making it straightforward to buy according to how frequently you intend to prepare infusions. The product arrives ready to use, requiring no further processing before steeping or simmering.
To prepare a simple infusion, place a few pieces in water, bring to a gentle simmer, and allow the liquid to reduce and deepen in colour before drinking. The dried bark and root hold their structure well and the reddish-orange inner wood is a reliable visual indicator that you are working with authentic material. As with any traditional herbal preparation, anyone managing a diagnosed medical condition should speak with a qualified healthcare practitioner before incorporating Kothala Himbutu into their routine.
