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Botany
Small, erect and branched shrub, growing
to a heigh of 3-4 meters. Leaves are linear, glossy and green, 10-15
cm long. Calyx teeth are pointed, 7-9 mm long and green. Corolla is
funnel- or bell-shapped, abiout 5 cm wide, 7 cm long, and yellow. The
fruit is hard, angled and green, 3-4 cm in diameter.
Distribution
Widely scattered cultivation as an
ornamental plant.
Native to South America.
Parts utilized:
Leaves and bark.
Properties
and constituents
Seeds contain a toxic glucoside, thevetin.
Seeds yield a fixed oil containing triloein 63%, tripalmitin and stearin,
37%.
Thevetin has been classified with the digitaline group so activity on
the heart muscle, blood pressure elevation, heart irregularities. It
also causes increased intestinal peristalsis, increased salivation,
and pupil contraction.
Properties
Bark is emetic, febrifuge, and antiperiodic.
Leaves are cathartic.
Milky juice is poisonous and vesicant.
Uses
Folkloric
In some countries, seeds are chewed
for a drastic emetic effect.
Seeds also used as abortifacient.
Oil is used externally for skin ailments.
Studies
• Anti-Microbial:
(1) In vitro antimicrobial activity of ethanol extract of Thevetia peruviana:
Study showed antimicrobial activity which
may be attirbuted to various phytochemicals – flavanoids, phenolics,
polyphenols, tannins, terpenoids, sesquiterpenes – effective antimicrobial
substances against a wide range of microorganisms. (2) Study showed the extract of T peruviana proved to be effective against E coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, P aeruginosa. It also showed moderate activity against S aureus, C albicans, Aspergillus niger, Mucor, Rhizopus and Penicillium species.
• Flavanone and Flavanol Glycosides
/ Reverse Transcriptase Inhibition: Flavanone
and flavonol glycosides from the leaves of Thevetia peruviana and their
HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and HIV-1 integrase inhibitory activities:
Two new flavanone glucosides and a new flavonol glycoside were isolated
from the leaves of T. peruviana and were investigated for their inhibitory
effects against HIV-1 reverse transciptase and HIV-1 integrase.
• Toxicity
Studies / Processing: Study showed
that raw Thevetia seed cake, even at a low 5% replacement of soybean
meal in the diet, is very toxic and lethal to rabbits. Death may have
occurred because of thevetins A and B (cardiac glycosides) and other
multisystem effect of toxins. Tp seed cakes need adequate processing
to remove toxic agents and anti-nutritive factors. Processing may allow
it to be used as a protein supplement in rabbits and other livestock
feeds.
•
Cardenolide Glycosides: Study isolated
four cardenolide glycosides and four triterpenoid saponins. Cardenolide
glycosides 1 and 2 showed significant reversal effect on TRAIL resistance
in human gastric adenocarcinoma cells.
• Anti-Termite / Antimicrobial: Thevetia peruviana seed oil was used to make a surface coating with antifungal, antibacterial and anti-termite properties. Results showed T. peruviana-based oil paint was self-preserving against microbes and substantially protected wood from subterranean termites.
Caution !
Toxicity Concerns
• All parts of the plant are
poisonous, especially the kernels of the fruit.
• As an ornamental plant, accidental ingestion is common.
• Toxic effects of glycosides due to digitalis-like action on
the heart and GI irritation (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cardiac arrhythmias
and varyiing degrees of heart block.). Other clinical features are drowsiness,
dilated pupils. Jaundice and renal failure have been observed. The usual
cause of death is ventricular fibrillation.
• In SrI Lanka,
the kernel of the seeds has been used in suicide attempts.
• Although the cardiac glycoside peruvoside has been used for
cardiac insufficiency, the margin between therapeutic and toxic is too
narrow for it to be a useful therapeutic agent.
Availability
Ornamental cultivation.
Wildcrafted. |
