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Botany
Alagau is a small hairy tree,
3 to 8 meters high. Leaves are ovate to broadly ovate, 10 to 20
centimeters long, with broad, rounded, or somewhat heart-shaped base, and pointed
tips. Under surface of the blade is usually covered with
short hairs, aromatic when crushed. Flowers are greenish-white
or nearly white, 4 to 5 millimeters long and borne on terminal inflorescences
(cymes) 8 to 20 centimeters in diameter. Fruit is fleshy, dark purple, rounded,
about 5 millimeters in diameter.
Distribution
- Common In thickets and
secondary forests at low altitudes from the Batan Islands and northern Luzon to Mindanao, in most islands and provinces.
- Reported in Nepal, India to Myanmar, China, Taiwan, Indo-China, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia and Australia.
 Constituents
- Leaves do not contain
alkaloid, tannin, saponin or cyanogenetic substance.
- Leaves yield 0.02 percent yellowish-green essential oil with a characteristic
scent.
- Study isolated two iridoid glycosides: 2″- and 3″-caffeoyl-6-α-l-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol respectively.
- Study isolated ten 10-O-acylated derivatives of catalpol and asystasioside E from a 1-butanol-soluble fraction of a methanol extract of leaves.
Properties
Sudorific, pectoral, carminative.
Parts utilized
Leaves and flowering tops,
fresh or dried.
Uses
Culinary
Young leaves used in the cooking of "paksiw" and "bopis."
Folkloric
· Sugared
decoction of leaves with a little "calamansi" as tea helps loosen up phlegm and effective for coughs.
· Decoction of fresh leaves used for vaginal irrigation.
· Decoction of leaves for fever and colds, cough and bronchitis, fever blisters of the lips and stomachaches.
· "Kochoi," a local patent preparation, is claimed to benefit tuberculosis.
· Flatulence (gas pains):
Adults: decoction of leaves as tea.
Children: Crush leaves, mix with a little
coconut or cooking oil and apply on abdomen.
· Headache: Crush leaves and apply on forehead and temples.
·Tea decoction of the leaf has been used for tuberculosis.
· Chewing the roots believed to have cardiac benefits.
· Decoction of shoots used as parasiticide.
· Decoction of leaves used for bathing infants; also used as treatment for beriberi.
· Extract of leaves for cleaning wounds and for ticks and fleas.
· Leaves applied over the bladder facilitates urination.
New
• Decoction of leaves and flowering tops used as vaginal wash
or douche; antiseptic properties make it useful for cleansing and incorporation
with bath-care products.
• Pito-pito: Leaves are one of the
seven ingredients of the popular herbal Filipino tea blend – alagaw,
banaba, bayabas, pandan, manga, anis and cilantro. (See: Pito-Pito)
Studies
• Collagen Network / Acetoside: Study of methanol extract of leaves of Premna
odorata exhibited a promotion of collagen network formation by M cells
and isolated acetoside, an phenylethanoid with a variety of biological
activities. Acetoside may contribute to wound healing.
• Anti-Viral Activity: Study of 61 medicinal plants in Malaysia showed P odorata was 1 of 11 plants to show selective activity against vesicular stomatitis (VSV) viruses.
• In-vitro Photo-Cytotoxic Activity: A study of 155 extracts from 93 species of plants in Malaysia screened for in vitro photo-cytotoxic activity using a human leukemia cell lin, P odorata was one of 29 plants that was able to reduce in vitro cell viability by more than 50% when exposed to broad spectrum light.
• Hepatoprotective / Cytotoxic Activity: Study showed the alcoholic extract with significant hepatoprotective activity evidenced by decrease of serum enzymes, bilirubin and lipid peroxidation, comparable to drug silymarin. It also exhibited significant in-vitro cytotoxic activity. Results showed the alcoholic extract not only as an effective hepatoprotective agent, but with also significant antitumor activity.
• Antiparasitic Activity: In a study of 18 medicinal plants in New Caledonia evaluated in vitro against several parasites, Scaevola balansae and Premna serratifolia were the most active against Leishmania donovani.
• E. Coli Inhibitory Activity: Various extracts were tested against E. Coli. A 100% ethanol bark extract showed activity against E. coli, while aqueous extract concentrations were inactive against E. coli. However, the inhibitory activity could not compete with ciprofloxacin.
• Diosmetin / Acacetin: Study of leaves isolated diosmetin and acacetin. Diometin has been commercially available as the glycoside diosmin, used as a vasotonic agent for the treatment of varicose eins, hemorrhoids and other venous diseases.
Availability
Wild-crafted. |
