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Botany
Erect, branched
tree or shrub, 2-5 m high. Leaves usually 5-foliate, rarely with
3 leaflets only. Leaflets lanceolate, entire, 4-10 cm long, slightly
hairy beneath. Panicles terminal, slightly hairy, many-flowered,
10-20 cm long; additional axillary ones often present. Flowers
blue to lavender, 6-7 mm long. Fruit globose, black when ripe,
about 4 mm in diameter.
Distribution
Widely distributed in the Philippines;
in thickets and waste places; flowering year round. Best propagated
by use of mature, leafless stem cuttings.
Parts
utilized
Leaves, bark, roots and seeds. Leaves may be harvested three
months after establishment.
Properties
• Plant is considered antiinflammatory, astringent, antibacterial, antifungal, analgesic, alterant, depurative, rejuvinating, stomachic.
• Roots considered tonic, febrifuge, antirheumatic, diuretic and expectorant.
• Leaves are considered aromatic, bitter, anti-inflammatory, bronchial smooth muscle relaxant,, vermifuge.
• Flowers are astringent, carminative, hepatoprotective, digestive, vermifuge and febrifuge.
• Fruit is considered nervine, cephalic, aphrodisiac, emmenagogue and vermifuge.
Constituents
• Volatile oil; resin; alkaloid; lichen acids; glucoside.
• Constituents of oil: sabinene, linalool, terpinen-4-ol, b-caryophyllene,
a-guaine and globulol.
• Study on essential oils showed B-caryophyllene common to leaves,
flowers and dried fruits.
• Leaves contain an alkloid nishindine, flavones, luteolin-7-glucoside, casticin, iridoid glycosides.
• Seeds contain hydrocarbons, B-sitosterol, benzoic acid and phthalic acid, antiinflammatory diterpene, flavonoids and triterpenoids.
Uses
Folkloric
Leaf decoction for fever, headache, toothache, cough, asthma.
(1) For fever and toothaches, boil 6 tbsp of the chopped leaves in 2
glasses of water for 15 minutes; strain and cool. Divide the decoction
in 3 parts and take one part every 3-4 hours. Also, bruised leaves may
be applied to forehead.
(2) For asthma and cough: Take 1/4 of the decoction three times a day.
Pounded leaves applies on the forehead and temples for headaches.
(3) Aromatic bath or sponge bathing: Boil 4 handfuls of leaves in a
pot of water for 5 minutes; use the lukewarm decoction for sponge bathing.
(4) Wounds and ulcers: Use infusion of leaves as wash.
• In Ayurveda and Unani,
leaves and seeds used for rheumatism and joint inflammation. Decoction
of leaves taken as a diuretic.
Recent Use
Lagundi has been proven to be an effective analgesic and antitussive
(prepared as a pleasant tasting cough syrup) and has been considered
as a replacement for dextromethorphan in the public health system.
New Application
Studies have shown benefit through reduction of coughing and relaxation
of the bronchial smooth muscles. Being promoted by the Department of
Health (DOH) for cough and asthma. One of a few herbs recently registered
with the Bureau of Foods and Drugs (BFAD) as medicines.
Studies
• Anti-Venom:
Tested against Vipera russellii and Naja kaouthia venom, a methanolic extract study of VN showed it possesses potent
snake venom neutralizing capacity and suggests further investigation.
• Anti-Inflammatory: (1) VN significantly potentiated antiinflammatory activity of phenylbutazone
and ibuprofen in albino rats.(2) Study suggests VN possess anti-imflammatory activity against
acute and sub-acute inflammation probably due to prostaglandin inhibition
and reduction of oxidative stress.
• Anti-Inflammatory / Analgesic:
Study showed the fresh leaves of VN have anti-inflammatory and pain suppressing activities possibly mediated through PG synthesis inhibition, antihistmine, membrane stabilizing and antioxidant activities.
• Antibacterial / Essential Oil: Study showed the essential oils and extracts to have antibacterial
activity. Essential oil and extracts showed promising results against B subtilis and E coli. Ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts showed prominent antibacterial
activity against all tested strains.
• Antifungal: (1)
New antifungal flavonoid glycoside from Vitex negundo: Study found a
new isolated flavone glycoside and a known compound to have significant
antifungal activity against Tricophyton mentagrophytes and Cryptococcus
neoformans. (2) Ethanol extract of fruit seeds showed significant activity
against Fusarium solani and moderate response against Microsporum canis
with no effect against C albicans.
• Larvicidal: Differential
larvicidal efficacy of four species of Vitex against Culex quinquefasciatus
larvae: The methanolic extracts of all Vitex species showed varying
levels of larvicidal activity.
• Anthelmintic:
Study of ethanolic extracts of Moringa oleifera and Vitex negundo on
anthelmintic activity against Indian earthworm Pheritima posthuma showed
both to have dose dependent activity, with Moringa oleifera showing
more activity.
• Antioxidant: (1) Study of 17 Indian medicinal plants, including the alcoholic extract of VN, all showed dose-dependent nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activity. (2) Report indicated VN can produce reduction of oxidative stress mainly by reduciing lipid peroxidation.
• Anticonvulsant / Adjuvant Therapy: Study results suggest that VN possesses anticonvulsant activity particularly against PTZ (pentylenetetarazole) induced seizures, with a significant reduction of number and duration of convulsions.The potentiation of diphenylhydantoin and valproic acid suggests it may be useful as adjuvant therapy to lower the requirements of the drug therapies.
• Insecticidal / Pesticidal: Studies have shown the plant products to possess insecticidal activity against mosquite larvae, houseflies and stored product pests.
• Pharmacokinetic Interaction / Paracetamol: Study showed a significant decline in plasma concentration of paracetamol. Results conclude that if the VN extract or an ayurvedic formulation is co-admiinstered with an allopathic drug like paracetamol, the allopathic drug has to be adjusted for achieve its desired therapeutic response.
• Antibacterial / Cytotoxic: (1) Sudy showed all fractions with prominent zones of inhibition against B subtilis, B megaterium, S typhi, Vibrio mimicus and a fungal strains, A niger. Results also showed significant cytotoxic activity against brine shrimp nayplii. (2) Extracts were tested against five bacterial species (S aureus, P vulgaris, B subtilis, E coli, P aeruginosa) and three fungal species ( A niger, A flavon, C albicans). Among all extracts the water/ethanol extract showed maximum antimicrobial activity and the water extract, maximum antifungal activity agaiinst all species tested.
• Gastroprotective / Flavonoids: Study in albino rats investigating the gastroprotective activity of the aqueous extract of VN against aspirin-induced mucosal damage revealed VN to have a pivotal role in treating ulcer. Phytochemical studies yielded the presence of flavonoids probably responsible for its gastroprotection.
• Hepatoprotective / Negundoside: Negundoside, an iridoid glycoside from the leaves of VN was studied for its hepatoprotective effect on CCl4-induced liver toxicity. Results showed NG exerts a protective effect of CYP2E1-dependent CCl4 toxicity via inhibition of lipid peroxidation, followed by improved intracellular calcium homeostass and inhibition of Ca-dependent proteases.
• Anxiolytic: Study showed VN is an effective anxiolytic agent. The action of the extract upon anxiety models tested were consistent with the traditional use of VN and presents a potential for use in primary medical care.
• Essential Oil / Flowers: Study on the essential oil of flowers of VN yielded 45 components. The major compounds were sabinene (20.3%), B-caryophyllene (14.1%) and globulol (19.2%).
• Antinociceptive / Anti-Inflammatory / Seeds: Study showed ethanol extract of VN seeds interacted with the opioid system and may be more effective3 on inflammatory pain. Further results suggest that the analgesic effectsw may be partially mediated by it anti-inflammatory activuty. The analgesic activity could be due to the abundance of fatty acids with synergistic effects.
• Anti--microfilarial: Study investigating the antifilarial effect against Brugia malayi microfilariae, the roots extract of VN caused complete loss of motility of microfilariae after 48 hrs of incubation. Study yielded the presence of alkaloids, saponins and flavanoids from the roots of VN.
Preparation
How
to make lagundi syrup
• Clean fresh lagundfi leaves and chop.
• In 4 glasses of water, boil 4 tablespoons of minced lagundi
leaves for 50 minutes.
• Strain the liquid extract and add 1 part honey to 4 parts extracts.
• Boil in an earthen pot or enamel-lined saucepan for 15 minutes
until the desired viscosity is attained; cool.
• Pour the syrup in clear amber-colored bottles.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
Commercial formulations: Tablets (Ascof
by AlterMed / Pascual Laboratories), teas, and syrup.
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