Botanical name - Coccus lacca
Family - Coccodae super

Lac is a resinous substance usually of reddish or dark brown in color with a disagreeable odor and easily breakable with a cracking sound. Shellac will cure Leprosy, any diseases arising from altered conditions of blood in the state body pain and arthritis. Arakku choornam or shellac powder is used for dressings in injuries. It will arrest the bleeding and also heals the ulcers. Locally shellac is used as a stimulant application to scrophulous scorbutic ulcers.

Shellac is the specific application for carries tooth & diseased tooth.

Arakku Thailam, its an external preparation used in chronic fever, sore throat, hoarseness of voice, specially used in the conditions of headache due to any cause, body odor due to excessive sweating, gingivitis (inflammation of abdomen), cough, anemia, used for massage of scalp and body, in neuralgia, cephalalgia, hemicrania, inflammations and asthmatic affections.