Gen info
- Tabernaemontana is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae. The leaves are opposite, exuding a milky sap, one of the diverse plant genera called "milkwood". (2)
- The genus was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 and published in Species Plantarum.
- Etymology: The genus name Tabernaemontana honors the "father of German botany" Jakob Theodor von Bergzabern, a.k.a. Jacobus Theodorus Tabernaemontanus. The specific epithet macrocarpa derives from Greek, meaning "large fruit". (2) (3)
- Tabernaemontanus is a compressed form of the original Medieval Latin name (Tabernae Montanus) of the botanist's home town of Bergzabern. (2)

Botany
• Tabernaemontana macrocarpa grows as a shrub or tree up to 30 meters (100 ft) tall, with a trunk diameter of up to 50 centimeters (20 in). Bark is yellowish brown, brown, grey-brown or grey. Fragrant flowers feature combinations of cream, white and orange corolla lobes. Fruit is orange, with paired follicles, each up to 16 centimeters (6 in) in diameter. (2)

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines.
- In primary and secondary forests; in low and medium elevation
- Also native to Borneo, Malaya, Sumatera, Thailand. (1)

Constituents
- Yields a sticky latex.
- Study of bark of Tabernaemontana macrocarpa isolated two new bisindole alkaloids, bisnaecarpamines A and B (1 and 2). (see study below) (4)
- Study of bark isolated two new sarpagine-type indole alkaloids (1 and 2), together with five known alkaloids. (see study below) (5)
- Study of roots yielded nine indole alkaloids, identified as: 3-(2-oxopropyl)-coronaridine (1), coronaridine (2), voacangine hydroxy-indolenine (3), 3-oxo-coronaridine (4), 3-(2-oxopropyl)-coronaridine-pseudoindoxyl (5), 3-(2-oxopropyl)-voacangine-pseudoindoxyl (6), 19-R-heyneanine (7), coronaridine pseudoindoxyl (8), and voacangine pseudoindoxyl (9). (6)
- Phytochemical analysis of n-hexane, EA, ethanol and water extracts yielded alkaloids, flavonoids, saponin, and tannin compounds. (see study below) (8)
- Phytochemical studies showed methanol extracts of seeds flesh and fruit contain alkaloids, flavonoids, and polyphenols. Seed flesh contained more polyphenolics and flavonoids than the fruit. (Seeds flesh and fruit extracts did not have antioxidant activity with IC50s > 500 mg/L). (10)

Properties
- Fruit and roots reported to be poisonous.
- Studies have suggested antimalarial, cytotoxicity, antioxidant, anticancer properties.

Parts used
Leaves, bark, stems.

Uses
Edibility
- Fruit reported to be extremely poisonous.
- Roots also reported to be poisonous.
Folkloric
- In Morong, Bataan, the Kanawan Aytas drink decoction of leaves for cough and irregular or delayed menstruation. (7)
- In Borneo and Indonesia, bark exudate used traditionally for dental disorders, herpes, and eczema.
Others
- Poison: Chopped root used as ingredient for arrow poison. (2)
- Ritual: In Indonesia, plant used in the ritual of land clearing or homebuilding (as main pillar on roof of the house). Fruit bearing trees believed to affect the fortune of homeowner. (10)
- Superstition: Besides being poisonous, even touching the fruit may invite evil spirits.

Studies
• Antimalarial / Bisindole Alkaloids / Bark: Study of bark of Tabernaemontana macrocarpa isolated two new bisindole alkaloids, bisnaecarpamines A and B (1 and 2). Bisnaecarpamine A exhibited potent antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain with IC50 of 28.8 µM. (4)
• Antimalarial / Cytotoxicity / Sarpagine-Type Indole Alkaloids / Bark: Study of bark isolated two new sarpagine-type indole alkaloids (1 and 2), together with five known alkaloids. Compound 4, 16-demethoxycarbonyl-vocamine, exhibited antiplasmodial activities against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 and cytotoxic activities against human cell line, HepG2 cells. (5)
• Anticancer / Antioxidant / Stem: Study evaluated various extracts of stems of lelutung tokak (Tabernaemontana macrocarpa) for biologic activities, as antioxidant and anticancer. Cytotoxicity with brine shrimp lethality test (BLST) showed LC50s in n-hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water extracts of 567.89, 119.34, 120.56m and 156.44 ppm respectively; antioxidant activity with DPPH method showed 653,54m 48.10, 53.32, and 121.02 ppm, respectively. Anticancer test showed IC50 of 6.04 and 7.14 ppm for ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts, respectively. (9)

Availability
Wild-crafted.

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Tabernnaemontana macrocarpa / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(2)
Tabernaemontana / Wikipedia
(3)
Tabernaemontana macrocarpa / Wikipedia
(4)
Two new bisindole alkaloids from Tabernaemontana macrocarpa Jack / Puteri Amelia, Alfarius Eko Nugroho, Yusuke Hirasawa, Toshio Kaneda, Takahiro Tougan, Toshihiro Horii, Hiroshi Morita / Journal of Natural Medicine, 2021; Volume 75: pp 633-642 / DOI: 10.1007/s11418-021-01510-4
(5)
Two new sarpagine-type indole alkaloids and antimalarial activity of 16-demethoxycarbonylvoacamine from Tabernaemontana macrocarpa Jack / Puteria Amelia, Alfarius Eko Nugroho, Hiroshi Morita et al / Journal of Natural Medicine, 2019; Volume 73: pp 820-825 / DOI: 10.1007/s11418-019-01317-4
(6)
Alkaloids from The Roots of Tabernaemontana Macrocarpa Jack / Khairana Husain, Ikram M Said, Laily B Din, Hiromitsu Takayama, Mariko Kitajima, Norio Aimi / The Korean Society of Pharmacognosy, 1997; 3(1): pp 42-48 / pISSN: 1226-3907 / eISSN: 2288-9027
(7)
Ethnobotanical and phytochemical study of the medicinal plants used by Kanawan Aytas in Morong, Bataan, Philippines / Nicolas Czar B Antonio, / DOIReneir John G Tuason / Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, 2022; Vol 21: pp 595-
(8)
Lelutung Tokak (Tabernaemontana macrocarpa Jack.) as Source of Bioactive Substances, Antioxidant and Anticancer / Djihan Ryn Pratiwi, Maria Bintang, Partomuan Simanjuntak / Jurnal Ilmu Kefarmasian Indonesia, 2014; 12(2): pp 267-272 / ISSN: 2614-6495
(9)
PENETAPAN KADAR FLAVONOID, FENOLIK DAN AKTIVITAS ANTIOKSIDAN EKSTRAK BUAH Tabernaemontana Macrocarpa JACK ASAL KALIMANTAN BARAT (DETERMINATION OF FLAVONOID, PHENOLIC, AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF Tabernaemontana Macrocarpa JACK FRUIT EXTRACT FROM WEST KALIMANTAN) / Andi Hairil Alimuddin, Rudiyansyah Rudiyansyah, Masriani Masriani / Indonesian Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry, 2023; 6(3)/ DOI: 10.26418/indonesian.v6i3.63749 /
pISSN: 2620-8571 / eISSN: 2620-858X
(10)
Ethnobotanical knowledge and conservation practices of indigenous people of Mbeliling Forest Area, Indonesia / Marlind Mulu, Hildegardis Mulu et al / BIODIVERSITAS, 2020, 21(5): pp 1861-1873 /
DOI: 10.3057/biodiv/d210512 / ISSN: 1412-033X / eISSN: 2085-4722

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