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Family Rubiacea
Tagpong-gubat
Tagpo
Psychotria luzoniensis
F.-Vill .

Scientific names Common names
Coffea luzoniensis Cham. & Schlecht. Altoko (Mang.) 
Grumilea luzoniensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) Merr. Dumamai (Gad.)
Grumilea malayana Merr. Kadpaayan (Ilk.)
Paederia malayana Fern.-Vill. Kalabol (Sbl.)
Paederia tacpo Blanco Katagpo (Pamp., Tag.)
Psychotria luzoniensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) Fern.-Vill. Katagpong-gubat (Tag.)
Psychotria malayana Fern.-Vill. ex Vidal   [Illegitimate] Kombates (Tag.)
Psychotria tacpo (Blanco) Rolfe Lugani (Bon.)
  Madantauan (Mbo.)
  Ñguspul (Ig.)
  Tagpo (Tag.)
  Tagpong-gubat (Tag.)
  Takpo (Tag.)
  Tatanok (Sbl.)
Tagpo is a shared common name of two species of plants: (1) Tagpong-gubat, tagpo(Psychotria luconiensis), and (2) Tagpo (Ardisia squamulosa Presl). The latter is a small tree growing to a height of about 10 meters, with fragrant white or pink flowers, and blue or purplish rounded 5-8 mm fruits.
Psychotria luzoniensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) Fern.-Vill. is an accepted named. The Plant List


Botany
Tagpong-gubat is a smooth, erect shrub growing to a height of 1.5 to 5 meters. The leaves are smooth, shining, oblong to oblong-elliptic, 8 to 20 centimeters long, short-petioled and pointed at both ends. Flowers are white, in crowded terminal inflorescences 2 to 3 centimeters long. Corolla is 4 to 4.5 millimeters long with a hairy throat. Fruit is somewhat fleshy, obovoid, 5 to 6 millimeters long, yellow or reddish. Seeds are plano-convex.

Distribution
- Only in the Philippines, in thickets and secondary forests at low and medium altitudes, in most or all provinces of Luzon, and in Mindoro, Masbate, Leyte, and Panay.

Parts used
Leaves and roots.

Uses
Folkloric
- Fresh leaves used topically for headaches.
- Bark decoction used for intestinal pains.
- Decoction of fresh young leaves used for cleaning ulcers and as a topical for ulcerated wounds.
- Decoction of the root used for dysentery.

Studies
Gastroprotective / Anti-Ulcer / Leaves:
Study evaluated the gastroprotective property of P. luzoniensis in 15 male Balb/c mice with HCl/ethanol induced gastric ulcerations. Results showed significant reduction in gastric ulcers. The gastroprotective effect was comparable to sucralfate. (2)

Availability
Wild-crafted. 

Updated October 2018 / June 2014

Photo © Godofredo Stuart / StuartXchange
GRAPHIC SOURCE / Public Domain/ Psychotria luconiensis / File:Psychotria tacpo Blanco1.55-original.png / Flora de Filipinas / Franciso Manuel Blanco (OSA), 1880-1883 / Wikimedia Commons
Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Psychotria luzoniensis / Synonyms / The Plant List

(2)
Gastroprotective Property of Psychotria luzoniensis Leaf Decoction on HCl/Ethanol-Induced Gastric Ulcers in Mice / Angelo Miguel Parunga, Gabriel Louise Sena, Sheilah Zarah Penaranda, Allan Hilario, et al / International Journal of Medical Science and Innovative Research, Jan 2018; 3(1): pp 353-358 /
DOI: 10.15028/ijmsir/v3i1.2128

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