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Botany
A tree reaching a
height of 10 meters. Leaves, pinkish when young; older leaves are large,
drooping, elliptic-oblong to broadly oblong-lanceolate, 15-30 cm long,
7-15 cm wide, narrowed and pointed . Flowers are large, crimson, 5-6
cms diameter, clustered on racemes aboout 6 cm long. Fruit is shiny,
oblong or pear-shaped, 5-7.5 cm long, white splashed, striped with pink,
or crimson to purplish, seedless or one-seeded. Flesh is white, pithy,
juicy. Although rather tasteless, some varieties have a pleasant flavor.
Distribution
Cultivated
for its edible fruit.
Parts
used and preparation
Leaves.
Constituents
and properties
• Leaf oil largely composed of monoterpenes (30% sesquiterpenes,
9 % caryophyllene).
• Considered diuretic, emmenagogue, abortifacient, febrifuge.
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Uses
Folkloric
Not known
in the Philippines for its medicinal properties.
In other countries,
the astringent bark is a mouthwash for thrush (dapulak).
A root-bark decoction used for dysentery and amenorrhea.
Powdered leaves used for cracked tongues.
Root-bark used as abortifacient.
In Hawaii, juice of
salted pounded bark used for wounds.
In Molucca, decoction
of bark used for thrush.
Malayans use powdered
dried leaves for cracked tongues. Root preparations for itching.
In Cambodia, decoction
of fruit, leaves and seeds used for fever. Juice of leaves used
for baths and lotions.
In Brazil, used for
diabetes, cough, headaches.
In Malaysian Borneo, Malaysian
Bornea, decoction of stem and bark for diarrhea.
Nutrion / Culinary
Fruit is eaten raw but may be prepared with flavoring.
In Puerto Rico, used
for making of table wines.
In Indonesia, flowers
eaten in salads. Young shoots and leaves eaten, raw or cooked.
Others
Wood is used for construction, bowls and boards.
Studies
• Antiinflammatory: Flavan-3-ols
isolated from some medicinal plants inhibiting COX-1 and COX-2 catalysed
prostaglandin biosynthesis: S malaccense was one of four
plants tested that were traditionally used for inflammatory conditions.
• Antioxidant: Study of 58 underutilized Malaysian fruits of 32 different species, included syzygium m
Availability
Cultivated
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