Ichnocarpus frutescens explained

Ichnocarpus frutescens is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, known by the English common name black creeper.[1] It is native to much of China, India, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia.[2]

It is a woody shrub with lianas sprawling to 10m (30feet) in maximum length and 6cm (02inches) in diameter. The bark produces a creamy white sap. The leaves are up to 11cm (04inches) long by 4.5cm (01.8inches) wide. The inflorescence is a head of several flowers. Each flower has a calyx of densely hairy sepals and a five lobed corolla just under a centimeter long. The fruit is a follicle which may be over 14cm (06inches) long. The roots may be reddish or purple. The plant is sold in markets in some areas in India.[3]

Uses

The plant has a large number of traditional medicinal uses, including for rheumatism, asthma, cholera, and fever.[4] Some in vitro and rodent studies have suggested that extracts of the plant may inhibit tumors,[5] protect liver cells from damage in acetaminophen overdose,[6] and reduces complications of hyperlipidemia in diabetic rats.[7] There have been no published studies testing any of these effects in humans.

The fibrous bark is used to make rope.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ichnocarpus frutescens . . 26 July 2020.
  2. Web site: Ichnocarpus frutescens, Apocynaceae, Vol. 16 . Li . Bingtao . Leeuwenberg . Antony J. M. . Middleton . David J. . 2008 . 1995 . Wu . Z. Y. . Raven . P. H. . Flora of China . Online access . Missouri Botanical Garden Press and Harvard University Herbaria . St. Louis, MO & Cambridge, MA. . 9 Mar 2013.
  3. Barik, R., et al. (2008). Antidiabetic activity of aqueous root extract of Ichnocarpus frutescens in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type II diabetes in rats. Indian Journal of Pharmacology 40:1 19.
  4. Adhikari, B. S., et al. (2010). Medicinal Plants Diversity and their Conservation Status in Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Campus, Dehradun. Ethnobotanical Leaflets 14 46-83.
  5. Kumarappan CT, Mandal SC . Antitumor activity of polyphenolic extract of Ichnocarpus frutescens . Exp. Oncol. . 29 . 2 . 94 - 101 . June 2007 . 17704739 . 2011-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101215123220/http://exp-oncology.com.ua/en/archives/31/609.html . 2010-12-15 . dead .
  6. Dash, D. K., et al. (2007). Evaluation of hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Ichnocarpus frutescens (Linn.) R.Br. on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research 6:3 755-65.
  7. Kumarappan CT, Mandal SC . Polyphenolic extract of Ichnocarpus frutescens attenuates diabetic complications in streptozotocin-treated diabetic rats . Ren Fail . 30 . 3 . 307 - 22 . 2008 . 18350451 . 10.1080/08860220701857449 . 205592916 .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Ichnocarpus frutescens".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.