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Gen info
Native to South America, The first
species recorded in the Philippines was Bougainvillea
spectabilis. The other species, B.
glabra and B. peruviana
were introduced much later. The cultivated hybrids have produced a considerable
variety in size, color, form and numbers of showy bracts. The genus
is derives its name from Antoiine de Bougainville, first Frenchman to
cross the Pacific.
Botany
A woody climber that can grow to a
height of more than 10 meters, with large thorny stems and long drooping
branches. The leaves are petioled, alternate, ovate, with entire margins,
6 to 10 cm long, broadest near the base. Thorns are the axils assist
the plant in climbing. Flowers are in groups of threes, each subtended
by three, broad, purplish bracts, about 3-5 cm long. Flowers are small,
each inserted on a bract, tubular, inflated midway through its length,
of varying colors.
Distribution
Ornamental planting.
Propagated by cuttings.
Constituents
and properties
Reported constituents on B. glabra
are pinitol, betacyanine, flavonoids, tannins and alkaloids.
Leaves considered to have antiinflammatory activity.
Parts utilized
Leaves
Uses
Folkloric
Not known in the Philippines for any
medicinal use.
Traditional practitioners in Mandsaur use the leaves for a variety of
disorders, for diarrhea, and to reduce stomach acidity.
Used elsewhere for cough, sore throat.
Studies
Leaves studied for antidiarrheal,
anti-ulcer, and anti-microbial activities.
Other studies and publications (B R Nahata College of Pharmacy):
Bajpai A., Pharmacognostical studies on stems of Bougainvillea
glabra choisy, International Journal of Green Pharmacy, 1(1), 2006,
70
Edwin E., Edwin S., Amalraj A., Soni R., Smita G., Gupta V. B.,
Antihyperglycemic activity of Bougainvillea Glabra, Choisy, Planta Indica,
2(3), 2006, 25-26
Edwin E., Edwin S., Toppo E., Tiwari V., Amalraj A., Gupta V.
B., Free radical scavenging activity of ethanol aqueous extract of Bougainvillea
Glabra Choisy, Planta Indica, 2(3), 2006, 21-22
Toppo E., Edwin E., Sheeja E., Amalraj A., Tiwari V., Saraswat
V., Free radical scavenging activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts
of Bougainvillea glabra, presented in IPC, Hyderabad, December 2-4,
2005
http://www.brncop.org/tpublication.html
Availability
Cultivated.
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