Botany
Sinamomong-sungson is a small, much-branched, smooth tree growing from 4 to 7 meters high. Leaves are 5 to 12 centimeters long, with the rachis slightly winged. Leaflets are five, obovate to oblong, 2 to 7 centimeters long, the lower ones being smaller than the upper. Flowers, borne on axillary, lax panicles, 5 to 10 centimeters long, numerous, yellow, very fragrant, and about 3 millimeters in diameter. Fruit is ovoid or subglobose, about 12 millimeters long.
 Distribution
- Cultivated as an ornamental tree for its fragrant flowers.
- Introduced from southeastern Asia.
Constituents
- Essential oils from the flowers of Aglaia odorata yielded 21 components: hendecane, linalool, decyladehyde, copaene, β-caryophyllend, β-humulene, β-elemene, β-selinene, humuladienone, humulene epoxide Ⅰ, tridecanic acid methyl ester, β-humulene-7-ol, β-humu- lene-7-ol acetate, juniper camphor, heptadecane, khusol acetate, oetadecane, nonadecane, eicosane, heneicosane and docosane, among which β-humnlene-7-ol is expressive of a graceful odor of Aglaia odorata
Properties
- Roots and leaves considered pectoral, stimulant, febrifuge, tonic and anti-convulsive.
- Flowers are very fragrant in the evening.
Parts used
Roots, flowers, leaves.
Uses
Folkloric
- In the Philippines, decoction of roots and leaves used as a tonic.
- Infusion of flowers given as a cooling drink for eruptive fevers.
- Sino-Annamites used the roots and leaves as pectoral, febrifuge, and tonic; also used for convulsions.
- In China, flowers, leaves, and roots used as a tonic.
- In Java, infusion of leaves taken as tonic for excessive menses and for venereal diseases.
Others
Herbicide: Flower pellets show potential as organic herbicide for control of barnyard grass weed.
Perfume: Dried flowers are used to perfume clothes and cigarettes, and to scent teas.
Studies
• Cyclopentabenzofuran Lignan Protein Synthesis Inhibitors: Study isolated rocaglaol, known compound pyrimidinone and the novel compound aglaiastatin from the CHCl3 extract of leaves. The three were potent inhibitors of the growth of K-ras-NRK cells.
• Dolabellane Diterpenoids / Cytotoxicity: Study yielded 5 dolabellane diterpenoids; two showed weak cytotoxicity against human myeloid leukemia HL-60, hepatocellular carcinoma, and lung cancer A-549 cells.
• Anti-Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1: Of 20 Thai medicinal plants evaluated for anti-herpes simplex virus 1 activity, eleven, including A odorata, inhibited plaque formation of HSV-1 more than 50%. AO was also effective against thymidine-kinase-deficient HSV-1 and phosphonoacetate-resistant HSV-1 strains. It showed a potential as anti-HSV1 agent.
• Elemene & Cisplastin Synergy / Anti-Cancer: Elemene (1-methyl-1-vinyl-2.4-diisopropenylcyclohexane) has been extracted from numerous plants, including the flowers and leaves of Aglaia odorata. Article describes the synergy of the combination of cisplastin with b-elemene in in vitro assays against androgen-insensitive prostate cancer cells. B-elemene as an anticancer drug has anti-tumor activity against a broad spectrum of cancers, with low level of toxicity.
• Insecticidal / Rocaglamide Derivatives: Organic extracts of the twigs and leaves of Aglaia odorata yielded eight insecticidal cyclopentatetrahydrobenzofuran rocaglamide derivatives. The isolated rocaglamide derivatives exhibited strong insecticidal activity towards neonate larvae of the polyphagous pest insect Spodophera littoralis when incorporated into artificial diet.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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