Gen info
The Calophyllum genus is composed of about 200 species with a pantropical distribution. Some species are part of many indigenous systems of folkloric treatment for a wide range of maladies – tumors, inflammation, ulcers, pain.

Botany
An erect tree, growing to a height of about 25 meters. Leaves are opposite, slightly hairy, oblong, about 10 cm long and 3 cm wide, with numerous parallel and closely set veins. Panicles are shorter orequal to the leaves in length, erect or standing from the upper leaf axils. Flowers are creamy white, about 2 cm across. Fruit is ellipsoid.

Distribution
In primary forests, in low and medium altitudes.

Uses
Folkloric
Sap of the bark, when mixed with sulphur, used in the treatment of boils and wounds.
For asthma, a piece of cloth moistened with the sap is applied to the breast of a patient.

Studies
• Chromanones / Anti-Cancer: Chromanones and Dihydrocoumarins from Calophyllum blancoi: Study on the extract of Calophyllum blancoi yielded six pyranochromanone derivaties; some compounds showed mild activity against KB (human oral epidermoid carcinoma) and Hela (human cervical epitheloid carcinoma) tumor cell lines.
• Xanthones / Anti-Viral: Root phytochemical studies in Taiwan isolated three new pyranoxanthones – blancoxanthone, acetyl blancoxanthone, and 3-hydroxyblancoxanthone. Biological study of the isolated xanthones revealed that blancoxanthone exhibited significant anti-coronavirus activity.
• Betulinic Acid / Anti-Melanoma: Three Calophyllum species–C. blancoi, C. gracilipes, C. teysmannii–isolated betulinic acid, a strongly cytotoxic triterpene reportedly useful for the treatment of melanoma.

Availability
Wildcrafted.