Synonyms
No documentation
Vernacular Names:
| Malaysia |
Padauk, Pokok Sena, Angsana |
| English | Andaman rosewood, Burmese rosewood, Philippine mahogany, Narra, Amboyna |
| Indonesia |
Sena, Linggod, Sonokembag, Angsana, Angsena, Chendana merah |
| Thailand |
Praduu baan, Pradoo, Duu baan |
| Burma |
Ansanah, Pashu-padauk |
| vietnam |
Gi[as]ng h[uw][ow]ng |
| Laos |
Chandeng |
| Philippines |
Antagan, Asana, Naga, Agana |
| India |
Narra, Vengai (Tamil); Yerravegisa (Telagu) |
| French |
Santal rouge amboine |
| Pacific Islands |
Bluwota (Vanuatu); Liki (Solomon Islands); Pinati (Samoa) |
General Information
Description
Pterocarpus indicus is a member of the Fabaceae family. It is a large deciduous tree which can reach up to 40 m high with a trunk of up to 2 m in diameter. The leaves measures 12-22 cm long. while the pinnate, with 5 – 11 leaflets. The leaflets are rather large measuring 7 x 3.5 to 11 x 5.5 cm and ovate to elliptic in shape with a pronounced acuminate tip. The flowers are in panicles measure 6-13 cm long containing a few to numerous flowers. They are slightly fragrant and have yellow or orange petals. The fruit is a semiorbicular pod measures 2-3 cm in diameter surrounded by a flat 4-6 cm diameter membranous wing which aids dispersal by water. It contains one to two seeds, and does not split open at maturity. [3]
Plant Part Used
Chemical Constituents
Formononetin, isoliquiritigenin, (-)-p-hydroxyhydratropic acid, and a new 2-arylbenzofuran, anglolensin and pterocarpin. [7]
Traditional Used:
Gastrointestinal Diseases
The bark of P. indicus yields a resin known as kino or Dragon’s Blood. The decoction of the bark is used to tread diarrhoea and dysenstery. This usage is popular amongst the Indians and South Pacific Islanders. [1] [3] In Papua New Guinea it is used as a purgative.
Gynaecological Diseases
The South Pacific Islanders use parts of the plant to treat heavy menstruation and also ammenorhhoea. A decoction of the leaves is used to treat amenorrhoea in Vanuatu. In the Philippines the plant is used to treat menstrual pain. It is also used in the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis and gonorrhoea. For syphilitic sores and mouth ulcers the juice extracted from the roots is used by the Malays in Malaysia. [3] [4]
Other uses
In Papua New Guinea the plant I used to treat tuberculosis, headaches and sores. In the Philippines it is used to treat leprosy, flu, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. In Indonesia on the other hand it is used to treat boils, ulcers and prickly heat rashes. [3]
Pre-Clinical Data
Pharmacology
Antimicrobial activity
Ioliolide and paniculatadiol isolated from the ethyl acetate leaf extract of P. indicus showed moderate activity against Candida albicans and low activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Aspergillus niger. It is inactive against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. [5]
A study of the antibacterial activity of the leaves, roots and stem bark of P. indicus showed that all fractions (petrol dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol and methanol) exhibited a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity more pronouced in the butanol and methanol fractions. [6]
Toxicities
No documentation
Clinical Data
Clinical Trials
No documentation
Adverse Effects in Human:
No documentation
Used in Certain Conditions
Pregnancy / Breastfeeding
Pregnant ladies are not advised to take the drug since it has abortifacient properties as evidenced by its use in the South Pacific Islands for treatment of amenorrhoea. [3]
Age Limitations
Neonates / Adolescents
No documentation
Geriatrics
No documentation
Chronic Disease Conditions
No documentation
Interactions
Interactions with drugs
No documentation
Interactions with Other Herbs / Herbal Constituents
No documentation
Contraindications
Contraindications
No documentation
Case Reports
No documentation
References
- C.P. Khare Indian Medicinal Plants: An Illustrated Dictionary Springer-Verlag Berlin 2007 pg. 524
- Elmer Drew Merrill A Dictionary of the Plant Names of the Philippine Islands BiblioLife LLC Manila 2009 pgs. 12, 18, 20 & 87
- Pterocarpus – narra http://www.agroforestry.net/tti/Pterocarpus-narra.pdf Accessed date: 14th August 2010
- G. Bourdy and A. Walter Maternity and Medicinal Plants in Vanuatu I. The cycle of reporduction Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 1992 37:179 – 196 (http://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_6/b_fdi_47-48/010010404.pdf) Accessed on 14th August 2010
- Ragasa CY, De Luna RD, Hofilena JG. Antimicrobial terpenoids from Pterocarpus indicus. Nat Prod Res. 2005 Jun;19(4):305-9.
- Khan MR, Omoloso AD. Antibacterial activity of Pterocarpus indicus. Fitoterapia. 2003 Sep;74(6):603-5.
- RG Cooke and ID Rae Isoflavonoids. I. Some new constituents of Pterocarpus indicus heartwoodAustralian Journal of Chemistry 17(3) 379 – 384
