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 Botany
Silasila is a smooth, climbing shrub,
reaching a length of 8 m or less. Leaves are 10 to 20 centimeters long. Leaflets are 3 to 7, shining,
oblong-ovate and 4 to 13 centimeters long. Flowers are white, often tinged with violet, 8 to 10 millimeters long, borne in simple axillary racemes
or narrow panicles. Stamens are 10, usually monadelphous or the upper
one free. Ovary is sessile, few-ovuled, superior. Fruits are pods subrhomboidal to broadly oblong, 2.5 to
5 centimeters long, 2 to 3 centimeters wide, smooth, prominently veined, with a
narrow wing along the upper suture and containing 1 to 2 seeds.
Distribution
- Abundant on muddy shores, along
tidal streams, mangrove swamps, etc., throughout the Philippines.
- Also occurs in tropical East Africa and in Asia, through Malaya to Australia and Polynesia.
Parts utilized
· Roots and stems.
· Collected year round.
· Rinse, section into slices, sun-dry, pulverize.
Constituents
- Yields a considerable amount of tannin and red coloring matter.
-
A quantitative determination showed the tannin in the bark at 9.3%.
- Study reported the bark to yield a neutral crystalline principle, wax, two resins, two coloring matters, an alkaloid, glucose, an acrid glucoside allied to saponine, gume, and mineral matter (8%).
- Stems yield, besides gum and sugar, an appreciable amount of inorganic salts, notably potassium nitrate.
- Acetone extract yielded a new isoflavonoid derivative, 7a-O-methyldeguelol (rotenoloid), with known rotenoids - rotenone, deguelin and a-toxicarol.
- Phytochemical screening yielded fatty acids, steroids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, phenols, phenyl propanoids, tannin and mucilage.
Properties
Pungent-tasting, warming.
Anticontusion, antispasmodic, analgesic, insecticide, stimulant, counterirritant.
Bark is alterative, insecticidal, fiscicidal.
 Uses
Folkloric
· Poultice of powdered material,
heating with alcohol, applied to areas of swelling and sprains.
· Roots and stems may be used to kill maggots.
· In India, raw
leaf juice used two or three times daily for chronic dysentery.
· In India plant used as stimulant, antispasmodic, and as counterirritant.
Others
· Fish poison: Crushed leaves dispersed in streams will kill fish and shrimp.
Caution !
Contains rotenone and has an good insecticidal effect. Not to be taken
internally.
Studies
• Larvicidal:
(1) Study of acetone extract of roots isolated an isoflavonoid, 7a-O-methyldeguelol,
and known rotenoids, rotenone, deguelin and a-toxicarol. Rotenone and
deguelin were shown to have larvicidal properties. (2) Acetone extract of roots of Derris trifoliata showed potent larvicidal activity against second instar larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes agypti.
• Cancer Chemopreventive:
A new rotenoid was isolated from the stems of DT together with five
other known rotenoids. Study indicated the rotenoids to be valuable
anti-tumor promoters.
• Glycosidic Constituents:
Phytochemical study from the leaves of D trifoliata yielded 15 glycosidic compounds.
• Rotenoids / Nitric Oxide Inhibitory Activity:
Study yielded nine rotenoids from the stems of D trifoliata. Results showed very potent inhibition of NO. Results showed scavenging activity, the highest with compound 5, followed by deguelin (1). All compounds showed no cytotoxicity.
• Anti-Hyperlipidemic:
Study of methanolic extract of the leaves and stems of Derris trifoliata showed significant antihyperlipidemic effect with lowering of triglyceride and cholesterol levels with increase of HDL.
• Cytotoxic Rotenoloids / Cancer Chemopreventive:
Study isolated a new rotenoloids, 6aα,12aα-12a-hydroxyelliptone from stem extracts, together with 5 known compounds. Deguelin, and a-toxicarol exhibited marked inhibitory effect on mouse skin tumor promotion in an in vivo carcinogenesis test. The result of the present study indicates that rotenoids could be a potent candidate as a phytotherapeutic anti-tumor promoter.
• Anti-Helicobacter pylori Effect:
Study showed Derris trifoliata shows potential as a source of selective anti-H. pylori agent.
Availability
Wild-crafted. |
