 Botany
Melendres is a shrub growing up to 3 meters or less in height. Branches are slender, 4-angled, and narrowly winged. Leaves are entire, stalkless, obovate, elliptic-ovate to oblong-ovate, 4 to 8 centimeters long. Flowers are white, pink or purplish, about 4 centimeters in diameter, borne on small, terminal panicles. Capsules are globose-ovoid, about 1 centimeter long.
Distribution
- Cultivated in Manila and neighboring towns for ornamental purposes.
- Nowhere spontaneous.
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Native of China.|
- Now planted in most warm and tropical regions.
Constituents
- Biocolorants isolated from the fruits were found to be quercetin and apigenin.
- Study isolated two new biphenylquinolizidine alkaloids, 5-epi-dihydrolyfoline and its sterioisomer, dihydrolyfoline, along with lagerine, from the aerial parts of L. indica.
Properties
- Considered astringent, purgative, febrifuge, stimulant.
Parts used and preparation
Roots, bark, leaves, flowers.
Uses
Folkloric
- In India, decoction of roots considered astringent, used as gargle.
- Roots, leaves and flowers are purgative.
- Bark used as febrifuge and stimulant.
Others
Charcoal made from it used in Japan for thickening laquer.
Studies
• Phytochemicals: (1) High content of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and sulfur present in the leaf. Study yielded alkaloids in high concentration, followed by tannins, cardiac glycosides, saponins, sterols, triterpenes and anthraquinones reducing compounds. (2) Study yielded two new biphenylquinolizidine alkaloids, 5-epi-dihydrolyfoline and its sterioisomer, dihydrolyfoline along with lagerine, from the aerial parts of L. indica.
• Antithrombin: L. indica was one of seven of 30 plants of central Florida studied for antithrombin activity. In the bioassay used, the seven demonstrated activity of 80% or higher.
• Natural Colorants: Biocolorants isolated from the fruits were found to be quercetin and apigenin. The dry samples exhibited good colour fastness to washing and perspiration. The colorants showed a potential source as dye for textile dyeing.
• Anti-Inflammatory: Study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of LI on lung inflammation in ovalbumin-induced asthmatic mice. The LI extract inhibited increased cytokine concentrations, significantly inhibited leucocytosis and eosinophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissue samples, and inhibited the increase in mucus secretion by goblet cells. Results suggest the LI extract may be used as a valuable agent for treating allergic diseases such as asthma due to its anti-inflammatory property.
• Insecticidal: The insecticidal activity of 14 varieties of Chinese plants were screened through diet-incorporated method against the larvae of Helicovepa armigera. The inhibition rate of Lagerstroemia indica was the highest among the treatments.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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