Botany
Buta-buta is a tree, usually not more than 8 meters high. Leaves are alternate, shiny, pointed at the top, somewhat rounded at the base, elliptic-ovate, oblong-ovate or ovate, and 6 to 12 centimeters long. Flowers are very small, densely crowded on slender and flowering branches. Male flowers occur on spikes which grow singly in the axils of leaves, from 5 to 10 centimeters long. Female flowers are borne on branches, 2 to 3 cm long. Sepals are three with a basal gland within, no petals, with three stamens. Fruits is somewhat rounded, smooth, about 5 millimeters in diameter, with three sections.
 Distribution
- Along the seashore or any place reached by salt or brackish water throughout the Philippines.
- Also occurs in India to Polynesia.
Constituents
- Study isolated a new oleanane-type triterpenoid and five known pentacyclic triterpenoids.
- Study of hexane extract of the roots of EA isolated eleven diterpenoids, five of which were new – agallochins A-E.
Properties
- Milky juice is caustic and poisonous; causing temporary blindness to the eye and blistering of the skin.
Parts used and preparation
Latex, leaves, roots, bark
Uses
Folkloric
- Latex used in healing of obstinate ulcers.
- Smoke from burning wood used for leprosy.
- In New Guinea and Australia, juice used to cure ulcers and leprosy.
- Decoction of leaves used for epilepsy; also applied to ulcers.
- Roots, less poisonous than above-ground parts, are pounded with ginger and used to make embrocation for swellings of the hands and feet.
- Bark and wood used for flatulence.
- In India, seed poultice used for crippling arthritis.
Others
- Poison: In Southeastern Asia and New Caledonia, used as dart and fish poison.
Criminal use of trunk sap has been reported, including the poisoning of water with dried and powdered leaves.
Studies
• Pentacyclic Triterpenoids: Study isolated a new oleanane-type triterpenoid and five known pentacyclic triterpenoids. In the study, they were found inactive in vitro against several human cancer cell lines.
• Bioactivity Study / CNS Depressant / Antibacterial: Study on the ethanol extract of the bark showed profound dose-dependent decrease in exploratory activity, a marked sedative effect, and potentiation of sodium-thiopental-induced sleeping time. The extract also showed significant in vitro antibacterial activity against S aureus, S dysenteriae, S sonnei and Enterococci.
 • Anti-Ulcer Activity / Gastroprotective: Study showed EA was able to decrease the acidity and increase the mucosal defense in gastric areas, justifying its use as an antiulcerogenic agent.
• Antibacterial Activity: Study show antibacterial activity against 12 microorganisms, the methanol extract showing more activity than the hexane and chloroform extracts. The leaves contain higher percentage of crude organic extracts with potential antibacterial and antifungal principle for chemotherapeutic application.
• Antioxidant: Study of the hydroalcohol extract of dried and ground bark of EA displayed significant antioxidant activities with significant inhibition of peroxidation effect al all concentrations.
• Antifilarial / Antioxidant: Study showed a dose-dependent positive response in induction of death in the developmmental stages of a metazoan filarial parasite, Setaria digitata. The aqueous exgtract also showed DPPH, radical scavenging activity, reducing power and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity. EA presents a potential for meeting the oxidative stress during lymphatic filariasis in humans and for blocking embryogtenesis in filarial parasites.
• Anticancer / Hedgehog/GLI Signaling Inhibitors: Hedgehog (Hh) signaliing pathway inhibition has emerged as an anti-cancer strategy. Study yielded three flavonoid glycosides from E. agallocha A Hedgehog/GLI1-mediated transcriptional inhibitors and exhibited cytotoxicity against human pancreatic and prostate cancer cells.
• Antinociceptive / Gastroprotective: Study of alcoholic extract of bark from EA was evaluated in models of pain and ulceration. Results showed significant reduction in acetic acid induced writhings in mice, comparable to diclofenac sodium. An anti-ulcerogenic effect was also noted. The analgesic effect may be mediated via both peripheral and central mechanism.
• Antidiabetic / Hypoglycemic Effect: Study of crude ethanolic extract of leaves in normal and alloxan-induced wistar albino mice showed significant hypoglycemic and anti-hyperglycemic activities.
• Fatty Acids / Antibacterial / Antifungal: Study confirms the leaves of EA contain higher relative percentage of fatty acids ( lauric, palmitic, linolenic, linoleic, oleic, stearic and myristic acids) with potential antibacterial and antifungal principle for clinical application.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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