 Botany
Hibau is a deciduous tree 10 to 12 meters in height. Bark is mostly furrowed and rough (except for the branches which is smooth), 10 to 20 cm thick, grey, exfoliating in irregularly shaped, softish scales. Leaves are ovate-elliptic or almost rounded, 10 to 24 cvm long, 7 to 12.5 cm wide, pointed at both ends, and hairy on both surfaces. Flowers are stalked, white, fragrant, about 0.5 cm long, and borne in terminal, drooping panicles. Corolla-tube is slender and 5-lobe33d. Fruit, a capsule, is ellipsoid, 2 to 2.5 cm long, growing on recurved, thick pedicels 5 to 12 mm long. Seeds are many, flat, winged all around the margin, about 1 cm long, including the wing.
Distribution
In secondary forests at low altitudes, often about cliffs near the sea.
Occurs in India to Burma and Java.
Constituents
- Studies have reported conflicting results on the bark constituents: One attributes the bitter taste of the fresh bark to aesculin; another reports an alkaloid, hymenodictyon excelsum; while another reports ß-methyl-aesculetin.
- Studies have reported coumarins and anthraquinones.
- Study yielded two new acetylenic fatty acids, a new triglyceride, and 11 known compounds, among them: ursolic acid, ursonic acid, oleaqnolic acid, uncarinic acid E, ß-sitosterol.
Properties
Antiperiodic, astringent, bitter, febrifuge.
Inner bark is bitter; outer layer of the bark is tasteless.
Parts used
Bark, leaves.
Uses
Folkloric
As antiperiodic, bark used as substitute for cinchona bark.
Bark used as astringent and febrifuge; leaves used to treat ulcers, sialitis, sore throat, tonsillitis,
In India, the bitter bark is used as astringent and febrifuge; root, wood and stem-bark used as for fevers and to relieve thirst.
Others
Lumber: Used as planks in building houses and boats; for making boxes, toys and matches.
In India, as a cheaper grade of wood for making furniture, warper bobbins and wool boards.
Studies
• Acetylenic Acids: Study yielded two new acetylenic fatty acids, a new triglyceride, and 11 known compounds, among them: ursolic acid, ursonic acid, oleaqnolic acid, uncarinic acid E, ß-sitosterol.
• Antibacterial: In a study of traditional Cambodian medicianl plants Harrisonia perforata roots and Hymenodictyon excelsum bark exhibited bactericidal effect against S. aureus at a concentration of 500 ug/mL.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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