Samadera Indica
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''Samadera indica'' (syn. ''Quassia indica''), the bitter wood or Niepa bark tree, is a species of plant in the family
Simaroubaceae The Simaroubaceae, also known as the quassia family, are a small, mostly tropical, family in the order Sapindales. In recent decades, it has been subject to much taxonomic debate, with several small families being split off. A molecular phyloge ...
. It is a shrub or tree and grows primarily in wet tropical regions, from west Africa, through India, then down through Indonesia to Malesia. It is used in folklore medicine in various Asian countries as well to treat various ailments such as malaria, fevers, rheumatism, bruises, skin conditions and others conditions. The leaves are used as insecticides against termites, and the wood is used for knife handles.


Description

''Samadera indica'' is an
evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...
tree or shrub,Umberto Quattrocchi. CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants. CRC Press, p.45:2012. that can grow up to tall, or tall. It has pale yellow
bark Bark may refer to: Common meanings * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Arts and entertainment * ''Bark'' (Jefferson Airplane album), ...
, which is transversely cracked. There is no
heartwood Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...
, and the bark has small pores, the medullary rays are very fine, uniform and closely packed.
James Sykes Gamble James Sykes Gamble (2 July 1847 – 16 October 1925) was an English botanist who specialized in the flora of the Indian sub-continent; he became Director of the British Imperial Forest School at Dehradun, and a Fellow of the Royal Society. ...
It has stout branches, which are
glabrous Glabrousness () is the technical term for a lack of hair, down, setae, trichomes, or other such covering. A glabrous surface may be a natural characteristic of all or part of a plant or animal, or be due to loss because of a physical condition, ...
(hairless). It is , with elliptic-oblong, glabrous, shining leaves which are reticulately nerved. They are about 20 centimeters wide. The petioles are 1–2 cm long and stout. Leaves simple, elliptic, ovate or obovate, 5–25 cm long, 2–8.5 cm wide, rounded to acuminate at apex, rounded or obtuse at base, glabrous, glandular beneath, densely reticulate-veined; petiole 7–15(–30) mm, often curved. The flowers are usually 20 or more in umbelliform glabrous or puberulous inflorescences. The peduncles are 7–30 cm long, stout, flat, thick-above;
pedicels In botany, a pedicel is a stem that attaches a single flower to the inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branch ...
1 to 3 cm, jointed at base; bracts minute. Petals are 4 in number and 0.5 cm, and are white, pale yellow, or purplish. The flowers bisexual, the calyx 4-lobed They flower all year. The
drupe In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is a type of fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pip'' (UK), ''pit'' (US), ''stone'', or ''pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed ...
s appear 1-4 together, and are flat, smooth, glandular, and reticulate. ''Samadera indica'' has fruit of 1–4 carpels, each a woody drupe, ellipsoid with a unilateral thin wing in the upper part. They are 4–6 cm long, 2.5–3.7 cm wide, and 1.3–1.9 cm thick, with 1 large, brown seed. Fruits are grouped in whorls of 1-4 carpels, and are green blotched red, ovoid, and flattened. The seeds have thin testa, absent endosperm, and plano-convex cotyledons, measuring up to 3.5 cm by 2.5 cm large.


Taxonomy


Vernacular names

It has several English common names such as; Niepa bark tree, Bitter wood, and Rangoon creeper. Although ''Rangoon Creeper'' name is more used for the vine ''
Combretum indicum ''Combretum indicum'', commonly known as the Rangoon creeper or Burma creeper, is a vine with red flower clusters which is native to tropical Asia and grows in thickets, primary forest, primary and secondary forest, and along river banks in the I ...
''. Depending on the country and language, it is also known as various names such as; in
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
as लोखंडी and ''Lokhandi'', in
Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...
as ನೀಪಾ and ''Nipa'', ''samdera'', or ''Kaduhonge'', in
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
as ''Karinghota'', കര്ംഗൊടാ ''Karinjotta'', ''Karingota'', ''Karingotta'',S.G. Neginhal IFS or ''Njotta''. In Malaysian it is ''Manuggal'', in
Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...
as लोखंडी and ''Lokhandi'', in
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
as गुच्छकरंजः and ''Gucchakaranjah'', or ''Lokhandi''. In Sinhalese, known as Samadera. In
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
, known as ''Simaruba de Madagascar''. In
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
as ''karincottai'', நீபம் or ''Nibam'', and நீபா ''Nipa''. In
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
as ''Lokanti''. On the Micronesian islands (such as Caroline Island), it is known as ''eskeam'' or ''etkeam''. The wood is known as ''kathai'' in Burma. In Indonesia as ''gateph pait'' (Bangka), ''sahangi'' (Minahasa) ''lani'' (Ambon). In Malaysia as ''kayu pahit'' (Peninsular), ''kelapahit'' (Murut, Sabah), ''manuggal'' (Iban, Sarawak). In Papua New Guinea as ''tosi'' (Delena, Central Province). In the Philippines, it is known as ''Manunggal'', (
Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Tagal ...
, Bikol, Bisaya).


Publishing

The botanic name of ''Samadera indica'' was first published and described by German Botanist
Joseph Gaertner Joseph Gaertner (12 March 1732 – 14 July 1791) was a German botanist, best known for his work on seeds, ''De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum'' (1788-1792). Biography He was born in Calw, and studied in Göttingen under Albrecht von Haller. H ...
(1732–1791) in his seminal book ''
De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum ''De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum'', also known by its standard botanical abbreviation ''Fruct. Sem. Pl.'', is a three-volume botanic treatise by Joseph Gaertner. The first volume was published in December 1788. The second volume was published ...
'' vol.2 on page 352 in 1791. The
specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...
"indica" refers to India, the country where this species was first observed. The species was later placed in the section ''Samadera'' of the Simaroubaceae by
Hans Peter Nooteboom Hans Peter Nooteboom (2 July 1934 – 20 April 2022) was a Dutch botanist, pteridologist, plant taxonomist, and journal editor. Biography Born in the Dutch East Indies, Hans Nooteboom with his family returned in 1939 to the Netherlands, where h ...
(1934–2022) in 1962 (published in 1963), as ''Quassia indica'', along with ''
Quassia harmandiana ''Samadera harmandiana'' (syn ''Quassia harmandiana'') is a freshwater mangrove shrub or small tree in the Simaroubaceae family. It is found in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. The wood provides firewood. Certain fish eat the poisonous fruit Descripti ...
''. Nooteboom had taken a very broad view of the genus ''
Quassia ''Quassia'' ( or ) is a plant genus in the family Simaroubaceae. Its size is disputed; some botanists treat it as consisting of only one species, '' Quassia amara'' from tropical South America, while others treat it in a wide circumscription as ...
'' and included therein various genera including, ''
Hannoa ''Hannoa'' is a genus of plant in the family Simaroubaceae. Found in tropical parts of Africa. Description The genus consists of trees, shrubs or shrublets. They have leaves that are not crowded at the ends of the branches, imparipinnate. With l ...
'' , '' Odyendyea'' , ''
Pierreodendron ''Pierreodendron'' is a genus of plants in the family Simaroubaceae. Its native range is western tropical Africa and is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Togo and Zaïre. It was first publishe ...
'' , ''
Samadera ''Samadera'' is a genus of four species of plants belonging to the family Simaroubaceae in the order Sapindales. Its range is from eastern Africa through tropical Asia to eastern Australia. Type species: ''Samadera indica'' Gaertn Description ...
'' , ''
Simaba ''Simaba'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Simaroubaceae. Its native range stretches from southern tropical America and Trinidad, across to western tropical Africa to Angola then across to western Malesia. It was first pu ...
'' and ''
Simarouba ''Simarouba'' is a genus of trees and shrubs in the family Simaroubaceae, native to the neotropics. It has been grouped in the subtribe Simaroubina along with the '' Simaba'' and ''Quassia'' genera. They have compound leaves, with between 1 and 12 ...
'' . In 2007,
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
sequencing, and phylogenetic analyses was carried out on members of the Simaroubaceae family. It found that genus ''Samadera'' was a sister to Clade V and that genus ''Quassia'' was also a sister to Clade V but they had separate lineages. This suggested the splitting up of genera ''Quassia'' again, with all Nooteboom's synonyms listed above being resurrected as independent genera. It was later returned to genus ''Samadera'' as ''Samadera indica'' in 2008, but it is still known as ''Quassia indica'' in many places. The woody and floating nature of the ''Samadera indica'' fruit explains how the species was able to be widespread across its distribution range.


Distribution

''Samadera indica'' is
native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...
to the countries (and regions) of Africa (within
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
,
Pemba Island Pemba Island (; ''al-Jazīra al-khadrāʔ''; ; ) is a Tanzanian island forming part of the Zanzibar Archipelago, lying within the Swahili Coast in the Indian Ocean. Geography file:Map of Zanzibar Archipelago-en.svg, left, The main islands of the ...
,
Comoros The Comoros, officially the Union of the Comoros, is an archipelagic country made up of three islands in Southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Moroni, ...
and
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
), tropical Asia, (within India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka,), Indo-China (within
Andaman Islands The Andaman Islands () are an archipelago, made up of 200 islands, in the northeastern Indian Ocean about southwest off the coasts of Myanmar's Ayeyarwady Region. Together with the Nicobar Islands to their south, the Andamans serve as a mari ...
, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam), Indonesia,
Malesia Malesia is a biogeographical region straddling the Equator and the boundaries of the Indomalayan and Australasian realms. It is a phytogeographical floristic region in the Paleotropical kingdom. It was first recognized as a distinct region ...
(within Borneo, Malaya, Philippines,
Sulawesi Sulawesi ( ), also known as Celebes ( ), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the List of islands by area, world's 11th-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Min ...
and Sumatra),
Papuasia Papuasia is a Level 2 botanical region defined in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD). It lies in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, in the Melanesia ecoregion of Oceania and Tropical Asia. It comprises th ...
(within
Bismarck Archipelago The Bismarck Archipelago (, ) is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea. Its area is about . History The first inhabitants of the archipela ...
, New Guinea, Solomon Islands), and the Pacific islands (
Caroline Islands The Caroline Islands (or the Carolines) are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically, they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) in the cen ...
and
Vanuatu Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (; ), is an island country in Melanesia located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, east o ...
). It is not found on
Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
and the
Lesser Sunda Islands The Lesser Sunda Islands (, , ), now known as Nusa Tenggara Islands (, or "Southeast Islands"), are an archipelago in the Indonesian archipelago. Most of the Lesser Sunda Islands are located within the Wallacea region, except for the Bali pro ...
. It is also listed as native to the island of
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
.


Habitat

''Samadera indica'' is found in forests at low altitudes, within moist
deciduous forests In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, after flo ...
, and evergreen forests. Such as India, it is mostly found in evergreen forest of Western Ghats (mountain range), It is also found in mixed
dipterocarp Dipterocarpaceae is a family of flowering plants with 22 genera and about 695 known species of mainly lowland tropical forest trees. Their distribution is pantropical, from northern South America to Africa, the Seychelles, India, Indochina, Indo ...
forests. It is also found along backwaters, or peat-based, tidal, swamp forests, or periodically inundated forests, and along river shore. In Singapore, it is found in tidal swamp forests and on the edge of
Mangrove forest Mangrove forests, also called mangrove swamps, mangrove thickets or mangals, are productive wetlands that occur in coastal intertidal zones. Mangrove forests grow mainly at tropical and subtropical latitudes because mangrove trees cannot withsta ...
s. It is found at an altitude of up to above sea level. It can be growing on
alluvial Alluvium (, ) is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluvium is also sometimes called alluvial deposit. Alluvium is ...
sites with sandy soils, but also found on
limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
.


Endangered

''Samadera indica'' has been assessed for
the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is an inventory of the global conservation status and extinction risk of biological spe ...
in 2019. Under its synonym, ''Quassia indica'' is listed as
least concern A least-concern species is a species that has been evaluated and categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as not being a focus of wildlife conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wil ...
(LC). It is listed as
critically endangered An IUCN Red List critically endangered (CR or sometimes CE) species is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. As of December 2023, of t ...
(CR) in Singapore, and it is listed in Sri Lanka as
near threatened A near-threatened species is a species which has been Conservation status, categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as that may be vulnerable to Endangered species, endangerment in the ne ...
(NT).


Cultivation

It can be cultivated for use in parks or gardens, due to its attractive foliage, fruits and general form. It can grow in well-drained soils or can tolerate moist soils. In positions in full sun and needs watering as much as generally any other shrub. It can be propagated by seed.


Uses


Medicinal uses

Parts of the ''Samadera indica'' tree are gathered from the wild and are used medicinally in local
folk medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...
s in several countries. Phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial evaluation of extracts from bark and leaf of ''Samadera indica'' a medicinal plant used in traditional healing owing to its analgestic,
antiinflammatory Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation, fever or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs reduce pain by inhibiting mechani ...
, antifeedant and antimicrobial properties. In the Congo, Africa and on Madagascar, it is used to treat
malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...
. In Sri Lanka, a mixture of powdered bark or wood scrapings in warm water or coconut oil used to treated fever. The roasted seeds are pounded and applied to areas of
rheumatism Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including a ...
. The bruised leaves are applied over skin eruptions. The seeds are worn around the neck to help prevent
asthma Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wh ...
. In
Ayurvedic Ayurveda (; ) is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. It is heavily practised throughout India and Nepal, where as much as 80% of the population report using ayurveda. The theory and practice of ayur ...
health system, the drug ''Guchakaranja'' is derived from ''Samadera indica''. It is also known as ''Karinjotta'' in Kerala, India. In the state of
Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
in India, species ''Samadera indica'' was found to have
anti-tumor Chemotherapy (often abbreviated chemo, sometimes CTX and CTx) is the type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs ( chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) in a standard regimen. Chemotherapy may be given with a cu ...
effects,
antifeedant Antifeedants are organic compounds produced by plants to repel herbivores through distaste or toxicity. These chemical compounds are typically classified as secondary metabolites in that they are not essential for the metabolism of the plant, but ...
,
phytotoxic Phytotoxins are substances that are poisonous or toxic to the growth of plants. Phytotoxic substances may result from human activity, as with herbicides, or they may be produced by plants, by microorganisms, or by naturally occurring chemical react ...
,
antiviral Antiviral drugs are a class of medication used for treating viral infections. Most antivirals target specific viruses, while a broad-spectrum antiviral is effective against a wide range of viruses. Antiviral drugs are a class of antimicrobials ...
,
anthelmintic Anthelmintics or antihelminthics are a group of antiparasitic drugs that expel parasitic worms (helminths) and other internal parasites from the body by either stunning or killing them without causing significant damage to the host. They may also ...
, and anti-malarial activities, growth regulating activities, and
antioxidant Antioxidants are Chemical compound, compounds that inhibit Redox, oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce Radical (chemistry), free radicals. Autoxidation leads to degradation of organic compounds, including living matter. Antioxidants ...
, and
antimicrobial An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms (microbicide) or stops their growth (bacteriostatic agent). Antimicrobial medicines can be grouped according to the microorganisms they are used to treat. For example, antibiotics are used aga ...
activities. It was used in India to vitiate (breakdown) diseases such as ''vata'', ''kapha'',P. K. Warrier
arthritis Arthritis is a general medical term used to describe a disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, Joint effusion, swelling, and decreased range of motion of ...
,
constipation Constipation is a bowel dysfunction that makes bowel movements infrequent or hard to pass. The Human feces, stool is often hard and dry. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, and feeling as if one has not completely passed the ...
, and also skin diseases like
leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...
,
scabies Scabies (; also sometimes known as the seven-year itch) is a contagious human skin infestation by the tiny (0.2–0.45 mm) mite ''Sarcoptes scabiei'', variety ''hominis''. The word is from . The most common symptoms are severe itchiness a ...
,
pruritus An itch (also known as pruritus) is a sensation that causes a strong desire or reflex to scratch. Itches have resisted many attempts to be classified as any one type of sensory experience. Itches have many similarities to pain, and while both ...
, and
erysipelas Erysipelas () is a relatively common bacterial infection of the superficial layer of the skin ( upper dermis), extending to the superficial lymphatic vessels within the skin, characterized by a raised, well-defined, tender, bright- red rash, ...
. In India, the bark is also used in the treatment of fevers. The oil from the seeds is applied externally on rheumatic joints, and used as a liniment on bruises. It is a medicinal plant in Myanmar. In Burma and Indonesia, the seeds are used externally to treat
rheumatism Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including a ...
.Christophe Wiart In Indonesia, the bark, wood, and seeds serve as a
febrifuge An antipyretic (, from ''anti-'' 'against' and ' 'feverish') is a substance that reduces fever. Antipyretics cause the hypothalamus to override a prostaglandin-induced increase in temperature. The body then works to lower the temperature, which r ...
(substance that reduces fever) and also a tonic, and a
decoction Decoction is a method of extraction by boiling herbal or plant material (which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes) to dissolve the chemicals of the material. It is the most common preparation method in various herbal medicine systems. D ...
is prescribed for
bilious fever Bilious fever was a medical diagnosis of fever associated with excessive bile or bilirubin in the blood stream and tissues, causing jaundice (a yellow color in the skin or sclera of the eye). The most common cause was malaria. Viral hepatitis and ...
. The seed, can be chewed or ground with water, is both emetic and purgative, and an oil from the seeds is a constituent in an embrocation for rheumatism. The leaves are crushed and applied to erysipelas (a skin infection). In the Philippines, the bark and wood, are macerated in water, alcohol, or wine which is then said to have tonic, stomachic, anticholeric, antifebrile, and
emmenagogue Emmenagogues (also spelled ''emmenagogs'') are herbs which stimulate blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus; some stimulate menstruation. Women may use emmenagogues to stimulate menstrual flow when menstruation is absent for reasons other than pr ...
properties (used to stimulate blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus). The juice from the pounded bark serves as a treatment for skin diseases, and the bark, scraped or powdered, is given in water or oil to treat "malignant fever". In the Solomon Islands, water from the macerated bark is drunk as a remedy for
constipation Constipation is a bowel dysfunction that makes bowel movements infrequent or hard to pass. The Human feces, stool is often hard and dry. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, and feeling as if one has not completely passed the ...
. Also the macerated leaves are mixed with coconut oil are applied to the hair to kill
lice Louse (: lice) is the common name for any member of the infraorder Phthiraptera, which contains nearly 5,000 species of wingless parasitic insects. Phthiraptera was previously recognized as an order, until a 2021 genetic study determined th ...
, and an infusion of the seeds is utilized as a
antipyretic An antipyretic (, from ''anti-'' 'against' and ' 'feverish') is a substance that reduces fever. Antipyretics cause the hypothalamus to override a prostaglandin-induced increase in temperature. The body then works to lower the temperature, which r ...
(substance that reduces fever).


Chemical composition

All parts of the plant contain the
glucoside A glucoside is a glycoside that is chemically derived from glucose. Glucosides are common in plants, but rare in animals. Glucose is produced when a glucoside is hydrolysed by purely chemical means, or decomposed by fermentation or enzymes. Th ...
called ''samaderin'' which is a bitter substance. The extracts were evaluated for antimicrobial effect using two strains of bacteria – ''
Escherichia coli ''Escherichia coli'' ( )Wells, J. C. (2000) Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Harlow ngland Pearson Education Ltd. is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped, coliform bacterium of the genus '' Escherichia'' that is commonly fo ...
'' and ''
Staphylococcus aureus ''Staphylococcus aureus'' is a Gram-positive spherically shaped bacterium, a member of the Bacillota, and is a usual member of the microbiota of the body, frequently found in the upper respiratory tract and on the skin. It is often posi ...
'' and two species of fungi – ''
Aspergillus niger ''Aspergillus niger'' is a mold classified within the ''Nigri'' section of the ''Aspergillus'' genus. The ''Aspergillus'' genus consists of common molds found throughout the environment within soil and water, on vegetation, in fecal matter, on de ...
'' and ''
Candida albicans ''Candida albicans'' is an opportunistic pathogenic yeast that is a common member of the human gut flora. It can also survive outside the human body. It is detected in the gastrointestinal tract and mouth in 40–60% of healthy adults. It is usu ...
''. As well as
bacteria Bacteria (; : bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one Cell (biology), biological cell. They constitute a large domain (biology), domain of Prokaryote, prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micr ...
species ''
Pseudomonas aeruginosa ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'' is a common Bacterial capsule, encapsulated, Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-negative, Aerobic organism, aerobic–facultative anaerobe, facultatively anaerobic, Bacillus (shape), rod-shaped bacteria, bacterium that can c ...
''.
Quassinoid Quassinoids are degraded triterpene lactones (similar to limonoids) of the Simaroubaceae plant family grouped into C-18, C-19, C-20, C-22 and C-25 types. The prototypical member of the group, quassin, was first described in the 19th century from ...
s can be extracted from ''Samadera indica'', from the bark, and seeds. Such as Samaderines A and E, which have been isolated from ''Samadera indica''. Samaderines B and C were found in 2004, isolated from the seed kernels. Quassinoid - ''Brucin D'' showed activity against Walker's carcinoma. While ''Samaderine E'' exhibited anti-leukaemic activity. Quassinoids may have potential in drug formulations. A methanolic extract of ''Samadera indica'' can be used to treat skin diseases.
Triterpenes Triterpenes are a class of terpenes composed of six isoprene units with the molecular formula C30H48; they may also be thought of as consisting of three terpene units. Animals, plants and fungi all produce triterpenes, including squalene, the pre ...
''Lupenone'' and ''18α-Oleanan-19α-ol-3-one'' have been found in ''Samadera indica''. It also contains
triterpenoids Triterpenes are a class of terpenes composed of six isoprene units with the molecular formula C30H48; they may also be thought of as consisting of three terpene units. Animals, plants and fungi all produce triterpenes, including squalene, the pre ...
, an anti-fungal compound.
Essential oils An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...
have been isolated by
steam distillation Steam distillation is a separation process that consists of distilling water together with other volatile and non-volatile components. The steam from the boiling water carries the vapor of the volatiles to a condenser; both are cooled and retu ...
of flower and flower stalks of ''Samadera indica''.


Insecticide uses

It is also used to produce
insecticides Insecticides are pesticides used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. The major use of insecticides is in agriculture, but they are also used in home and garden settings, in ...
. An
infusion Infusion is the process of extracting chemical compounds or flavors from plant material in a solvent such as water, oil or alcohol, by allowing the material to remain suspended in the solvent over time (a process often called steeping). An inf ...
of the leaves, or a
decoction Decoction is a method of extraction by boiling herbal or plant material (which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes) to dissolve the chemicals of the material. It is the most common preparation method in various herbal medicine systems. D ...
of the leaves is used to kill
termites Termites are a group of detritophagous eusocial cockroaches which consume a variety of decaying plant material, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter, and soil humus. They are distinguished by their moniliform antennae and the sof ...
(or white ants). Especially in the Congo and Madagascar. Various extracts, including ''Samadera indica'' leaf extracts have shown to significantly decrease the reproduction ability of mosquitoes and also the hatchability of their eggs, in species such as ''
Culex quinquefasciatus ''Culex quinquefasciatus'' (originally named ''Culex fatigans''), commonly known as the southern house mosquito, is a medium-sized mosquito found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It is a vector of ''Wuchereria bancrofti'', avian ...
'', ''
Anopheles stephensi ''Anopheles stephensi'' is a primary mosquito vector of malaria in urban India and is included in the same subgenus as ''Anopheles gambiae'', the primary malaria vector in Africa. ''A. gambiae'' consists of a complex of morphologically identical ...
'' and ''
Aedes aegypti ''Aedes aegypti'' ( or from Greek 'hateful' and from Latin, meaning 'of Egypt'), sometimes called the Egyptian mosquito, dengue mosquito or yellow fever mosquito, is a mosquito that spreads diseases like dengue fever, yellow fever, malar ...
''.


Other uses

The macerated leaves, are mixed with
coconut oil Coconut oil (or coconut fat) is an edible oil derived from the kernels, meat, and milk of the coconut palm fruit. Coconut oil is a white solid fat below around , and a clear thin liquid oil at higher temperatures. Unrefined varieties have a disti ...
, then applied to the hair for cleansing purposes. The pale yellow wood is light and soft. The wood of the tree is used locally for example in the state of
Sarawak Sarawak ( , ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. It is the largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia. Sarawak is located in East Malaysia in northwest Borneo, and is ...
in Malaysia, where it is used for making knife-handles, such as
parang Parang is a popular folk music originating from Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago that was brought to Trinidad and Tobago by Venezuelan migrants who were primarily of Amerindian, Spanish, Mestizo, Pardo, and African heritage, something whic ...
handles. The seeds of the plant contain about 33% oil, but it is thought difficult to get a sufficient supply of the oil for commercial use. In Singapore, it is used as an ornamental plant and planted in parks and gardens. It also cultivated in Myanmar.


References


External links

* C. R. Mitra & H. S. Garg; Constituents of ''samadera indica'' nuts, Kurze Originalmitteilungen, Biophysik und Biochemie, July 1962, volume 49, pages 327–328 * Watt, G. (Editor): Dictionary of Economic Products of India, Vol. VI, Pt. II, pp. 451–452. London: Allen & Co. 1894. {{Taxonbar, from=Q39928892 indica Taxa named by Joseph Gaertner Plants described in 1791 Flora of Tanzania Flora of the Comoros Flora of Madagascar Flora of the Indian subcontinent Flora of Indo-China