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Botany
Climbing vine reaching
4-10 meters. Stems fleshy, about 1 cm in diameter, with scattered protuberances.
Leaves thin, ovate, 6-12 cm long and 7-12 cm wide, with pointed tip
and heart-shaped based, smooth and shiny. Petiole up to 6 cm long. Racemes
solitary or in pairs arising from axils of leaves, light green, and
short pedicelled. Fruit 8 mm long, in long clusters. Propagated by stem
cuttings or seeds. Support needed for climbing.
Additional
info
Classified in Ayurvedic
medicine as a rasayana herb, meaning "circulation of the
nutrient" in Sanskrit, considered to enhance longevity, promote
intelligence and prevent disease. (www.prevention.com)
Properties
Febrifuge,
vulnerary, tonic, antimalarial, parasiticide.
Insecticidal
Distribution
Found in thickets in most
islands of the Philippines.
Chemical constituents
and properties
Plant contains a bitter
principle, colombine (2.22%); traces of an alkaloid; and a glucoside.
Also contains a amorphous bitter principle, picroretine and traces of
berberine.
A study showed that the bitter extract of the stem does not contain
an alkaloid.
Parts utilized
Stems and leaves.
Constituents
Picroretin (amorphous);
berberine; colombin.
Uses
Folkloric
ø Decoction of leaves
and stems used for malaria and fever and as a tonic (40 gms to pint
of boiling water).
ø Scabies: Crush fresh stem and apply juice over the affected.
ø Tropical ulcers and wound healing: Decoction of the stem as
wash, or crush stem, soak in oil for 12 hours and apply oil extract
on affected areas.
ø Pounded stem, mixed with coconut oil, has been used for a variety
of rheumatic and arthritic complaints; also for abdominal colic.
ø Athlete's foot.
ø Fertility regulation.
ø Rheumatism and flatulence: mixture of the vine with oil. Cut
100 gms of the vine in small pieces, mix with 3 ounces of coconut oil.
Place in bottle and "cook" under the sun for 5-7 days.
ø For stomach ulcers: stem is pounded inside a plastic bag, water
is added, strained, and drank once daily. Also, stems are dried, thinly
sliced, decocted, then drank.
ø Used by nursing mothers to assist in weaning infants off breast-feeding.
The bitter juice of the stem is applied to the nipple area causing the
infant's aversion to breastfeeding and facilitating transfer to breast
feeding.
Others
ø As pesticide (rice
blackbugs, rice green leafhoppers, rice stemborers) using pounded chopped
vines stirred in one liter of water and sprayed on seedlings before
transplanting orsoaking the seedlings overnight before transplanting.
ø Makabuhay, with madre de cacao and hot red pepper extract in
water sprayed on rice plants at weekly intervals.
New applications
Being studied for it possible stimulant effect on the immune system.
Anecdotal benefits for a variety of HIV-related complaints.
Caution: Should not be used by pregnant women,
patients with cardiac disorders.
Recent uses and preparations
Preparation of ointment: Wash
and chop 1/2 glass of stem. Sauté chopped stem on low fire for
about five minutes in one glass of coconut oil. Remove the stems then
add half a glass of grated white candlewax. When the wax is melted,
pour
into clean bottle and label. Use the ointment over the whole body, save
the face area, for three consecutive nights
Recent studies
Recent study showed tinospora
to contain a special polysaccharide, or carbohydrate, that triggers
activity of macrophages, white blood cells that play a role in immunity.
A study in the Indira Ghandi Medical College showed it effective in
relieving symptoms of hay fever or allergic rhinitis. The study used
the supplement Tinofend 300 mg three times a day.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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