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Tagak-tagak
Rhinacanthus nasuta (Linn.) Kurr.
DAINTY SPURS

Bai he ling zhi

Scientific names Common names
Rhinacanthus nasuta (Linn.) Kurr. Pajarito (Span..)
Rhinacanthus communis Nees Ibon-ibonan (Engl.)
Justicia nasuta Linn. Tagak-tagak (Span.)
  Dainty spurs (Engl.)
  Snake jasmine (Engl.)
  Bai he ling zhi (Chin.)

Botany
Tagak-tagak is a slender, erect, branched, somewhat hairy shrub, up to 1 to 2 meters high. Leaves are oblong, 4 to 10 centimeters long, narrowed and pointed at both ends. Inflorescence is a spreading, leafy, hairy panicle with flowers usually in clusters. Calyx is green, hairy, and about 5 millimeters long. Corolla-tube is greenish, slender, cylindric, about 2 centimeters long. Corolla has two spreading lobes; the upper lip is white, erect, oblong and lanceolate, 2-toothed at the apex, about 3 millimeters in length and width; lower lip is broadly ovate, 11 to 13 millimeters long and wide, 3-lobed, white, with a few, minute, brownish dots near the base. Fruit is a club-shaped capsule containing 4 seeds.

Distribution
- In Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna Provinces in Luzon.
- In thickets, hedges, and waste places, in and about towns.
- Introduced, now common.

- Also occurs in India to Malaya.

Constituents
- Roots contain an active principle, rhinacanthin.
- Study yielded rhinacanthin A and B and known lupeol, B-sitosterol, stigmasterol as well as glucosides of B-sitosterol and stigmasterol from the roots.

Properties
- Rhinacanthin isolated from the roots resemble chrysophanic and frangulic acids in its antiseptic and antiparasitic properties.
- Considered aphrodisiac, wound healing, antidotal.

Parts used
Roots and leaves.

Uses

Folkloric
- Sap or decoction of roots and leaves used in obstinate forms of dermatosis, especially dhobie's itch (buni sa siñgit).
- In Thailand, roots and leaves, in an alcohol tincture or vinegar preparation, used for the treatment of certain forms of ringworm.
- Seeds also efficacious for ringworm.
- Malays mix the juice of roots and leaves with benzoin and sulfur to use for ringworm.
- Dutch Indies apply the leaves on prickly heat, scurf, etc.
- In the Moluccas, young shoots, crushed in vinegar, applied the skin complaint called "cascado."
- In India, fresh roots and leaves, bruised and mixed with lime juice, used as a remedy for ringworm and other skin affections. In some places, roots also used as antidote for snake bites.
Seeds also used for ringworm. Root-bark also used for dhobie's itch.
In Pakistan, used as aphrodisiac – the roots boiled in milk by Hindu practitioners.
- In Kerala, used to treat liver diseases. Leaves and roots used for snake bites.
- Used for skin diseases, peptic ulcer, helminthiasis, scurvy, inflammation and obesity.
- Used for herpes and viral infections.


Studies
Hepatoprotective:
Study of herbal ethanol extracts of I coccinea, R nasuta and s ciliata on aflatoxin BI (AFBI)-intoxicated livers of albino male Wistar rats showed significant hepatoprotective activity against toxin-induced liver damage as evidenced by significant lowering of the activity of serum enzymes and enhanced hepatic reduced GSH status.
Antitumor Activity: Study previously isolated three main naphthoquinone esters - rhinacanthins C, N, and Q - from the roots of R nasutus that induced apoptosis of human cervical carcinoma HeLaS3 cells. Study demonstrated that rhinacanthin-N suppressed tumor growth in vivo, and suggested that liposomes are useful for preparing injectable formulation of hydrophobic drugs.
Mosquitocidal Activity: Tablet formulations made from the methanol extract of dried root powder of R nasutus showed it has potential use to control mosquito vectors and be part of a mosquito control program.
Antiproliferative / Rhinacanthin C: The ethanol extract of root and aqueous extract of leaves of RN and the active moiety rhinacanthin C was assessed in vitro and in vivo on several cancer cell lines. Results showed rhinacanthin C exhibited in vitro antiproliferative activity, comparable to or slightly weaker than 5FU. Both extracts showed in vivo antiproliferative activity .
Hepatoprotective Activity: Study of root extracts in Wistar rats with ethanol-induced liver damage showed a significant reduction of enzymes and lipids indicating a reversal of hepatotoxicity. There was histological confirmation. Mechanism could be the ability of RN to regenerate and stabilize liver cells, and reduce the leakage of marker enzymes.
Wound Healing: Study of roots of RN in an incision wound model showed potent wound healing promoting activity. Phytochemical screening yielded rhinacanthin and ß- sitosterol.

Availability
Wild-crafted.


Last Update July 2012

IMAGE SOURCE / Public Domain / File:Rhinacanthus communis Blanco.10-original.png / Franciso Manuel Blanco (OSA), 1880-1883 / Modifications by G. Stuart / Wikimedia Commons

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Hepatoprotective effect of three herbal extracts on aflatoxin B1-intoxicated rat liver / Shyamal S, Latha P G et al / Singapore Med O r i g i n a l A r t i c l e J 2010; 51(4) : 326
(2)
Antitumor activity of liposomal naphthoquinone esters isolated from Thai medicinal plant: Rhinacanthus nasutus KURZ / Siripong P, Yahuafai J et al /
Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 Nov;29(11):2279-83.
(3)
Formulation of tablets from the crude extract of Rhinacanthus nasutus (Thai local plant) against Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae: a preliminary study / Rongsriyam Y, Trongtokit Y et al /
Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2006 Mar;37(2):265-71.
(4)
Antiproliferative activity of Rhinacanthus nasutus (L.) Kurz extracts and the active moiety, Rhinacanthin C. / Gotoh a, Sakaeda T et al /
Biol Pharm Bull. 2004 Jul;27(7):1070-4.
(5)
Isolation and cytotoxicity of rhinacanthin-A and -B, two; naphthoquinones, from Rhinacanthus nasutus / Tian-Shung Wu et al / Phytochemistry, Volume 27, Issue 12, 1988, Pages 3787-3788 / doi:10.1016/0031-9422(88)83017-6 |
(6)
HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF RHINACANTHUS NASUTA (Linn). Kurz ON ETHANOL - INDUCED LIVER DAMAGE IN WISTAR / Suja S R, Latha P G, Pushpangadan P and Rajasekharan S /
(7)
WOUND HEALING PROFILE OF RHINACANTHUS NASUTA LINN. (KURZ) ON DIFFERENT WOUND MODELS IN WISTAR RATS. / Sini Sadasivan, Anuja G I and Suja S R /
Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode, Trivandrum / 08-15, 08. Health Science
(8)
FLOWERING PLANTS USED AGAINST SNAKE BITE IN TRADITIONAL AND TRIBAL MEDICINE OF INDIA / P.G. LATHA, S. SINI, P. SHIKHA, G.I. ANUJA, S.R. SUJA, S. SHYAMAL, V.J. SHINE, MATHEW DAN AND S. RAJASEKHARAN / TropicalBotanic Gardenand Research Institute, Palode
Thiruvananthapuram - 695 562, India


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