|
Botany
Small hairy tree,
3 to 8 meters high. Leaves are ovate to broadly ovate, 10-20
cm long, with broad, rounded, or heart-shaped base and pointed
tips. The under surface of the blade is usually covered with
short hairs, aromatic when crushed. Flowers are greeninsh-white
or nearly white, 4-5 mm long and borne on terminal inflorescences
(cymes) 68-20 cm in diamter. Fruit is fleshy, dark purple, rounded,
about 5 mm diameter.
Distribution
In thickets and
secondary forests at low altitudes.
Chemical constituents
and properties
Leaves do not contain
alkaloid, tannin, saponin or cyanogenetic substance.
Leaves yield 0.02 percent yellowish-green essential oil with a characteristic
scent.
Sudorific, pectoral, carminative.
Parts utilized
Leaves and flowering tops,
fresh or dried.
Uses
Folkloric
· Cough: Sugared
decoction of leaves as tea helps loosen up phlegm.
• Decoction of leaves for fever and colds, cough and bronchitis.
· Flatulence (gas pains):
Adults: decoction of leaves as tea.
Children: Crush leaves, mix with a little
coconut or cooking oil and apply on abdomen.
· Headache: Crush leaves and apply on forehead and temples.
·Tea decoction of the leaf has been used for tuberculosis.
· Chewing the roots believed to have cardiac benefits.
· Decoction of shoots used as paraciticide.
· Decoction of leaves used for bathing infants.
• Decoction of fresh leaves used for vaginal irrigation.
· Extract of leaves for cleaning wounds and for ticks and fleas.
· Leaves applied over the bladder facilitates urination.
Culinary
Young leaves used in the cooking of "paksiw" and "bopis."
New
• Decoction of leaves and flowering tops used as vaginal wash
or douche; antiseptic properties make it useful for cleansing and incorporation
with bath-care products.
• Pito-pito: Leaves are one of the
seven ingredients of the popular herbal Filipino tea blend – alagaw,
banaba, bayabas, pandan, manga, anis and cilantro. (See: Pito-Pito)
Studies
• Collagen Network / Acetoside: Study of methanol extract of leaves of Premna
odorata exhibited a promotion of collagen network formation by M cells
and isolated acetoside, an phenylethanoid with a variety of biological
activities. Acetoside may contribute to wound healing.
• Anti-Viral Activity: Study of 61 medicinal plants in Malaysia showed P odorata was 1 of 11 plants to show selective activity against vesicular stomatitis (VSV) viruses.
• In-vitro Photo-Cytotoxic Activity: A study of 155 extracts from 93 species of plants in Malaysia screened for in vitro photo-cytotoxic activity using a human leukemia cell lin, P odorata was one of 29 plants that was able to reduce in vitro cell viability by more than 50% when exposed to broad spectrum light.
• Hepatoprotective / Cytotoxic Activity: Study showed the alcoholic extract with significant hepatoprotective activity evidenced by decrease of serum enzymes, bilirubin and lipid peroxidation, comparable to drug silymarin. It also exhibited significant in-vitro cytotoxic activity. Results showed the alcoholic extract not only as an effective hepatoprotective agent, but with also significant antitumor activity.
• Antiparasitic Activity: In a study of 18 medicinal plants in New Caledonia evaluated in vitro against several parasites, Scaevola balansae and Premna serratifolia were the most active against Leishmania donovani.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
|
