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Family Rhamnaceae
Litiran
Gouania leptostachya DC.
SLENDER SPIKED GOUANIA
Xia guo teng

Scientific names Common names
Gouania leptostachya DC. Litiran (Tag.)
Gouania leptostachya var. macrocarpa Pit. Liua-a (Bag.)
Gouania leptostachya var. nainitalensis Bhandari & Bhansali Mañgauhai (Bmo.)
Gouania leptostachya var. tonkinensis Pit. Pahampak (Pamp.)
Gouania tiliaefolia Roxb.                                   [Illegitimate] Ruñgo-ruñgo (Ilk.)
Naegelia dubia Zoll. & Moritzi                           Unresolved Slender spiked gouania (Engl.)
Gouania leptostachya DC. is an accepted name. The Plant List

Other vernacular names
BENGALI: Batvassi.
CHINESE: Xia guo teng.
HINDI: Bitkil-chaand.
NEPALESE: Batvassi.
TELUGU: Penki tiga.
VIETNAMESE: Day don ganh.

Botany
Litiran is an unarmed, climbing shrub. Leaves are alternate, somewhat hairy, ovate, 6 to 10 centimeters long, and 4 to 5 centimeters wide, with pointed tip and slightly heart-shaped base. Flowers are small, greenish or whitish, and borne on axillary or terminal panicles. Fruit is smooth, with narrow wings.

Distribution
- Found from northern Luzon to Mindanao in thickets at low and medium altitudes.
- Also reported in India to the Mascarene Islands, Indo-China, and Malaya.

Constituents
- Leaves yield an alkaloid.
- Studies have shown high flavonoid and phenolic contents.
- From G. microcarpa, leaves yield a triterpenic acid, along with tetraicontanoic acid.
- Study on stems of G. leptostycha DC var. tokinensis Pitard. yielded two new benzopyran derivatives,1-[(rel2S,3R)一3,5,7-trihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-2-y1]ethanone and 1-[(rel 2S,3s)-3,5,7-trihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-2-y1]ethanone ,along with four known flavonoids, prodelphinidin C, prodelphinidin B3, (一)- epi-galocatechin and (+)-galocatechin. (see study below) (2)

Parts used
Roots, leaves.

Uses

Folkloric
- Leaves used for washing ulcers.
- Bark is used as a shampoo, for destroying vermin.
- Leaves used as a poultice for sores.
- In Chinese folk medicine, G. leptostachya DC. var tonkinensis Pitard is used for treatment of scald and acroanesthesia.
- Mien community of northern Thailand use the plant for postpartum baths. (3)
- In Bangladesh, paste from plant applied over wound area. Plant juice taken with water, twice daily for 5 to 7 days, for excessive menstruation. (6)
- The Yao use the water from boiled roots to cure gonorrhea. (7)
Others
- Soap: Roots and shoots crushed to yield a soapy liquid. In Malaysia, used to wash hair. In the Philipppines, roots used as soap substitute. (10)
- Fish poison: Alone or with other drugs, used to stupefy fishes in rivers.

Studies
Benzopyran Derivatives / α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity / Stems:
Study on stems of G. leptostycha DC var. tokinensis Pitard. yielded two new benzopyran derivatives, along with four known flavonoids, prodelphinidin C, prodelphinidin B3, (一)- epi-galocatechin and (+)-galocatechin. Some compounds showed varying degrees of α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. In particular, prodelphinidin C significantly reduced the activity of α-glucosidase, suggesting prodelphinidin C may be the bioactive compound of the aqueous extract. (2)
Antioxidant:
In a study of Vietnamese medicinal and Mongolian endemic plants exhibiting antioxidant activity against oxidative stress, an ethanol extract of Gouania leptostachya was one of 18 plants that showed strong free radical scavenging activity in the NO scavenging assay with IC50 of 2.34 mg/ml. (4)
Anti-Inflammatory / Resveratrol / Leaves and Twigs:
Study evaluated a methanol extract of G. leptostachya leaves and twigs on a mice model of gastritis induced by HCl/EtOH
. The methanol extract dose dependently diminished the secretion of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) from LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and peritoneal macrophages. HPLC analysis of the methanol extract yielded resveratrol as one of the major components with NO and Src inhibitory activities. The compound also suppressed NO production and HCl/EtOH-induced gastric symptoms. Results suggest a potential for the G. leptostachya ME as an herbal anti-inflammatory medicine through inhibition of Src and NF-kB activation pathways. (9)

Availability
Wild-crafted.

© Godofredo U. Stuart Jr., M.D.

Updated June 2018 / June 2015

IMAGE SOURCE: / Photograph / Gouania leptostachya var. leptostachya / Surajit Koley / West Bengal, Hoogly, India / 6 Oct 2015 / Public Domain / BioLib.cz
OTHER IMAGE SOURCE: / Illustration / Gouania leptostachya DC. / Wright, R., Spicilegium Neilgherrense, vol. 1: t. 50 (1846) [Rungia] / Illustration contributed by the library of the Missouri Botanical Garden, U.S.A. / PlantIllustrations.org
(1)
Gouania leptostachya DC. (accepted name) / Chinese name / Catalogue of life, China
(2)
Two new benzopyran derivativesfrom Gouania leptostachya DC. var. tonkinensis Pitard.
/ Chong Yaoa,b Shu Jie Zhangc Zheng Zhong Baic Tong Zhoud LiJiang Xua / Chinese Chemical Leters 22 (2011) 175~177 /  DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2010.09.028
(3)
Phytochemical, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of medicinal plants used in Northern Thailand as postpartum herbal bath recipes by the Mien (Yao) community / Kannika Panyaphu,* Panee Sirisa-ard, Preeyawis Na Ubol, Surapol Nathakarnkitkul, Sunee Chansakaow, Tran Van On / Phytopharmacology 2012, 2(1) 92-105
(4)
Free radicals scavenging activity of Mongolian endemic and Vietnamese medicinal plants
/ T Batmunkh, QH Juan, DT Nga, KE Kyung, KY Ah, SY Wan, KK Ah, L Burm-Jong/ Planta Med 2007; 73 - P_057 DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-986839
(5)
Anti-inflammatory activities of Gouania leptostachya methanol extract and its constituent resveratrol. /
Dung TT1, Lee J, Kim E, Yoo BC, Ha VT, Kim Y, Yoon DH, Hong S, Baek KS, Sung NY, Kim TW, Kim JH, Cho JY. / Phytother Res. 2015 Mar;29(3):381-92./ doi: 10.1002/ptr.5262
(6)
Gouania tiliaefolia Lamk. / Commonly Used Medicinal Herbs and Shrubs by Traditional Herbal Practitioners
Glimpses from Thanchi upazila of Bandarban / IUCN
(7)
Ethnobotanical Study of The Tai Lue, Hmong and Yao in Some Areas of Nan Province
/ Jantrararuk Tovaranonte / Thai Thesis Database
(8)
Gouania leptostachya / Synonym / The Plant List
(9)
Anti-inflammatory activities of Gouania leptostachya methanol extract and its constituent resveratrol.
/ Dung TT, Lee J, Kim E, Yoo BC, Ha VT, Kim Y, Yoon DH, Hong S, Baek KS, Sung NY, Kim TW, Kim JH, Cho JY / Phytother Res, Mar 2015; 29(3): pp 381-392 / doi: 10.1002/ptr.5262.

(10)
Biology of Vines / Francis E. Putz
It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page.

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