 Botany
Plant is an erect, nearly smooth or somewhat hairy shrub, growing to a height of 2 to 4 meters. Leaves are elliptic-oblong to elliptic-lanceolate, 6 to 15 cm long and pointed at both ends. Flowers are white, fragrant, borne in considerable numbers in hairy terminal panicles, 6 to 10 cm long. Calyx segments are very small and toothed. Corolla-tube is slender, 1.5 cm long, with obtuse lobes about half the length of the tube. Fruit is black when dry, rounded, about 6 mm in diameter.
Distribution
In most provinces, in primary forests, at low and medium altitudes
Parts
utilized
Bark, leaves.
Constituents
• Roots contain a green resin, starch, an organic acid, a bitter glucoside resembling salicin.
• Stems contain essential oil, resin, alkaloid, tannin and a pectic principle.
• Petroleum ether and methanol extracts have yielded glycosides, phytosterols, saponins, flavonoids and akaloids
Properties
• Bitter roots considered aperient.
Uses
Folkloric
• Bark, pulverized or in decoction, is used for visceral obstructions.
• Decoction of leaves used externally for hemorrhoidal pains.
• Bitter roots used for constipation.
• Roots, pulverized and mixed with ginger and rice water, used for dropsy.
• A local fomentation of leaves used for hemorrhoidal pains.
• Roots used for urinary complaints.
• Decoction of stem used as febrifuge.
• Bark decoction used for arthritis.
Studies
• Anti-Inflammatory:
Study of the anti-inflammatory potential of the methanol extract of Pavetta indica on several models of inflammation showed activity in the proliferative phase of the inflammatory process in an effect comparable to the standard non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin.
• Analgesic:
Study of the ethanolic leaf extract of P indica showed significant dose-dependent inhibition of pain response induced by thermal and mechanical stimuli. Results showed promising potential use of the crude extract in the treatment of pain.
• Antipyretic:
Study of the methanol extracxt of P indica reduced the pyrexia induced by yeast, found statistically significant, and indicates a potential for the extract's use as an agent against pyrexia.
• Diuretic:
Study of petroleum and ether extracts of leaves of Pavetta indica exhibited significant diuretic activity. Effect was attributed to the presence of flavonoids. Results support its use as a diuretic agent.
• Essential Oil:
Study yielded 24 compounds. The major constituents of the oil were ß-pinene (25.45%), ß-eudesmol (7.06%) and tricyclene (5.74%). Oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were minor components.
Availability
Wild-crafted. |
