Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br.

Common Names:
Ruk-attana (S)
Elilaippalai, Maranallari, Mukkanbalai (T)
Devils tree, Dita bark (E)
Saptha parna (Sa)

Traditional Knowledge

Useful plant parts :
Leaf, root, bark and stem

Uses in traditional medicine :

Decoction of the bark is used as a febrifuge, especially malarial fever and to treat chronic diarrhoea and dysentery
Roasted and powdered tender leaves are used for ulcers with foul discharge
Decoction of the leaves are used for beriberi and congestion of the liver
Milky juice is used to treat ulcers, rheumatic pains, toothache and earache

Scientific Research

Chemical constituents:

Indole alkaloids: scholarine and its derivatives, Na-methylburnamine and vallesamine Nb-oxide from leaves

Bioactivity :

Ethanol extract of bark: antifertility activity; methanol extract of leaves: antibacterial; alkaloid fraction: enhances the effect of radiation and results in disease-free survival in cancer treatments, antitussive, antiasthmatic, expectorant

Clinical:

Decoction of bark relieves elevated Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) and somatic symptoms

References :

Akhtar, M. S., (2002), Hypoglycaemic Effect of Powdered Alstonia Scholaris (Satona), The Professional Medical Journal, 9(3), 268-271.

Banerji, A. and Siddhanta, A. K., (1981), Scholarine: An indole alkaloid of Alstonia scholaris, Phytochemistry, 20(3), 540-542.

Bhogayata, K. et al., (2009), A clinical evaluation of Saptaparna (Alstonia scholaris L., R. Br.) on Essential Hypertension, Ayu, 30(3), 318-322.

Gupta, R. S. et al., (2002), Effect of Alstonia scholaris bark extract on testicular function of Wistar rats, Asian Journal of Andrology, 4, 175-178.

Jagetia, G. C. and Baliga, M. S., (2003), Treatment with Alstonia scholaris Enhances Radiosensitivity In vitro and In vivo, Cancer Biotherapy & Radiopharmaceuticals, 18(6), 917-929.

Khyade, M. S. and Vaikos, N. P., (2009), Phytochemical and antibacterial properties of leaves of Alstonia scholaris R. Br., African Journal of Biotechnology, 8(22), 6434-6436.

Misra, C. S. et al., (2011), A comparative study on phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity of roots of Alstonia scholaris with the roots, leaves and stem bark, International Journal of Research in Phytochemistry & Pharmacology, 1(2), 77-82.

Shang, J. H. et al., (2010), Pharmacological evaluation of Alstonia scholaris: anti-tussive, anti-asthmatic and expectorant activities, J Ethnopharmacol, 129(3), 293-8.

Yamauchia, T. et al., (1990), Alkaloids from the leaves of Alstonia scholaris in Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, Phytochem- istry, 29(11), 3547–3552.

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