 Botany
Kulasi is a tree reaching a height of 18 meters, flowering when 1 meter high or less. Air-roots are few in number. Leaves are fleshy, green, shining, narrowly obovate, 2.5 to 7 centimeters long, with rounded and notched tip and pointed base. Flowers are bright scarlet, about 8 millimeters long. Calyx is oblong-cylindric, green, 5 to 6 millimeters long, and short-toothed. Petals are white, oblong, about 4 millimeters long. Stamens are 10, as long as the petals. Fruit is green, woody, oblong, 1.5 to 2 centimeters long, and crowned by persistent calyx-rim, containing a single seed.
Distribution
- In beach swamps and along tidal streams in Rizal, Bataan and Quezon Provinces; and in Mindoro, Panay, Negros, Cebu and Mindanao.
- Also occurs in India through Malaya to Australila and Polynesia.
Constituents
- Bark contains 15-19 % tannin; the leaves and wood contain smaller quantities.
- Studies have yielded a long-chain rubber like polyisoprenoid alcohol from the leaves, flavonoids and long chain fatty acids and low molecular weight carbohydrates.
- Study reported friedeline, ß-amyrin, taraxerol, betulin, ß-sitosterol, and triacontanol.
- Study isolated a new aromatic ester, 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propyl-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-propionate, together with known triterpenoids, friedelin, betulin, and betulinic acid.
Parts used
Stem.
Uses
Folkloric
- Fluid substance made from incisions in the stem, mixed with coconut oil, used as anti-herpetic and as cure of itches.
Others
- Wood: Used for piles, poles, house posts, ties, paving blocks, bridges, ship planks, decks, handles and cabinetry.
- Fuel: Wood used as fuel for its caloric value.
- Tanning: Bark used for tanning.
Studies
• Antihypertensive / Corilagin and Chebulinic Acids: Study investigated the antihypertensive activity of eleven hydrolyzable tannins from the leaves of LR. Corilagin and chebulinic acid were identified as the major active substances.
• Antibacterial: Study investigated the antimicrobial activity L racemosa against fungi, virus and pathogenic bacteria. The crude methanolic extract and n-butanol fraction exhibited significant bacterial activity against all the bacterial tested; however, ineffective against fungi and virus.
• Punicalagin / Orthostatic Hypotension Reversal: Punicalagin, an active principle isolated from the leaves of L racemosa reversed the fall in arterial blood pressure in conscious Wistar rats with orthostatic hypotension induced by hexamethonium. It was found less effective in prazosin-induced orthostatic hypotension. The effect is probably from a direct release of NE (norepinephrine) from the noradrenergic nerve terminals by punicalagin.
• Hepatoprotective / Antioxidant: Leaf extract of Lumnitzera racemosa was evaluated for hepatoprotective and in vitro antioxidant activity in CCl4-treated rats. Results showed a hepatoprotective effect attributed to the presence of phenolic groups, terpenoids and alkaloids and in vitro antioxidant properties.
• Hepatoprotective / Antioxidant: Leaf extract
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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