Alstonia scholaris

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Alstonia scholaris
Alstonia scholaris.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Alstonia
Species:
A. scholaris
Binomial name
Alstonia scholaris
Alstoniascholaris1.png
Occurrence data from GBIF [2]
Synonyms [3]
  • Echites scholaris L.

Alstonia scholaris, commonly called blackboard tree, scholar tree, milkwood or devil's tree in English, [3] is an evergreen tropical tree in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). It is native to southern China, tropical Asia (mainly the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia) and Australasia, where it is a common ornamental plant. It is a toxic plant, but is used traditionally for myriad diseases and complaints. It is called 'Saptaparna' in India and is the sacred tree of the 2nd Jain tirthankar Ajitnatha.

Contents

Description

Alstonia scholaris is a glabrous tree and grows up to 40 m (130 ft) tall. Its mature bark is grayish and its young branches are copiously marked with lenticels. A unique feature of this tree is that in some places, such as New Guinea, the trunk is three-sided (i.e. it is triangular in cross-section). [4]

The upper side of the leaves are glossy, while the underside is greyish. [5] Leaves occur in whorls of three to ten, with petioles 1–3 cm (0.4–1 in) long. The leathery leaves are narrowly obovate to very narrowly spathulate, with a cuneate base, and the apex is usually rounded and up to 23 cm (9.1 in) long by 8 cm (3.1 in) in width. [6] Lateral veins occur in 25 to 50 pairs, at 80–90° to midvein. The cymes are dense and pubescent. Each peduncle is 4–7 cm (2–3 in) long. Pedicels are usually as long as or shorter than calyx. The corolla is white and tube-like, 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long. The lobes are broadly ovate or broadly obovate, 2–4.5 mm (0.08–0.2 in), overlapping to the left. The ovaries are distinct and pubescent. The follicles are distinct and linear.

Flowers bloom in the month of October. The flowers are very fragrant and similar to the flower of Cestrum nocturnum .

Seeds of A. scholaris are oblong, with ciliated margins, and end with tufts of hairs 1.5–2 cm (0.6–0.8 in) long. [7] The bark is almost odorless and very bitter, with abundant bitter and milky sap.

Distribution

Alstonia scholaris is native to the following regions: [3]

Alstonia scholaris is the state tree of West Bengal, India, where it is called Chhatim tree.

Toxicity

This is a toxic plant. At high doses, an extract of the plant exhibited marked damage to all the major organs of the body in both rats and mice. The toxicity appears to depend on the plant organ studied, as well as the season it is harvested, with the bark collected in the monsoon season being the least toxic, and bark in the summer the most. Intraperitoneal administration is much more toxic than oral. Rats were more susceptible to the poison than mice, and pure-bred mice strains were more susceptible than crossbred. The toxic effects may be due to the alkaloid echitamine in the bark. [9]

Chemistry

The bark contains the alkaloids ditamine, echitenine,[ citation needed ] echitamine [9] and strictamine. [10] Echitamine is the most important alkaloid found in the bark, as it has been detected in all samples studied and collected from several locations. It is commercially sold as a herbal medicine. [11]

Uses

The wood of Alstonia scholaris has been recommended for the manufacture of pencils, as it is suitable in nature and the tree grows rapidly and is easy to cultivate. [12] In Sri Lanka its light wood was used for coffins. The wood close to the root is very light and of white colour, and in Borneo was used for net floats, household utensils, trenchers, corks, etc. [13] In Theravada Buddhism, the first Buddha is said to have used A. scholaris as the tree for achieving enlightenment.

The 1889 book The Useful Native Plants of Australia states that "the powerfully bitter bark of this tree is used by the natives of India in bowel complaints (Treasury of Botany). It has proved a valuable remedy in chronic diarrhoea and the advanced stages of dysentery. It has also been found effectual in restoring the tone of the stomach and of the system generally in debility after fevers and other exhausting diseases (Pharmacopoeia of India). It is described in the Pharmacopoeia of India as an astringent tonic, anthelmintic, and antiperiodic. It is held in the highest repute in the Phillippine Islands [sic]." [14] Despite its widespread traditional use as an 'antiperiodic' (a medicine which was supposed to cure the effects of malaria), it was found to have little to very weak activity against Plasmodium falciparum . [15] [16] It had no effect against Giardia intestinalis , [15] and weak effect against Entamoeba histolytica , which both cause diarrhoea. [16]

During convocation the leaves of Alstonia scholaris (saptaparni) are awarded to graduates and postgraduates of Visva-Bharati University by the chancellor, given to him in turn by the Prime Minister of India. In recent years, supposedly to prevent excessive damage to the environment, the vice-chancellor of the University accepts one saptaparni leaf from the chancellor on behalf of all the students. This tradition was initiated by the founder of the University, Rabindranath Tagore. [17]

At one time, decoctions of the leaves were used for beriberi. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apocynaceae</span> Dogbane and oleander family of flowering plants

Apocynaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as the dogbane family, because some taxa were used as dog poison. Members of the family are native to the European, Asian, African, Australian, and American tropics or subtropics, with some temperate members. The former family Asclepiadaceae is considered a subfamily of Apocynaceae and contains 348 genera. A list of Apocynaceae genera may be found here.

<i>Erythrina herbacea</i> Species of legume

Erythrina herbacea, commonly known as the coral bean, Cherokee bean, Mamou plant in South Louisiana, red cardinal or cardinal spear, is a flowering shrub or small tree found throughout the southeastern United States and northeastern Mexico; it has also been reported from parts of Central America and, as an introduced species, from Pakistan. Various other systematic names have been used for this plant in the past, including Erythrina arborea, Erythrina hederifolia, Erythrina humilis, Erythrina rubicunda, Corallodendron herbaceum and Xyphanthus hederifolius.

<i>Alstonia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Alstonia is a widespread genus of evergreen trees and shrubs, of the family Apocynaceae. It was named by Robert Brown in 1811, after Charles Alston (1685–1760), professor of botany at Edinburgh from 1716 to 1760.

<i>Strychnos nux-vomica</i> Species of plant

Strychnos nux-vomica, the strychnine tree, also known as nux vomica, poison fruit, semen strychnos, and quaker buttons, is a deciduous tree native to India and to southeast Asia. It is a medium-sized tree in the family Loganiaceae that grows in open habitats. Its leaves are ovate and 5–9 centimetres (2–3.5 in) in size. It is known for being the natural source of the extremely poisonous compound strychnine.

<i>Castanospermum</i> Genus of legumes

Castanospermum is a monotypic genus in the legume family Fabaceae. The sole species is Castanospermum australe, commonly known as Moreton Bay chestnut or black bean, which is native to rainforested areas on the east coast of Queensland and northeastern New South Wales, and to the southwest Pacific islands of Vanuatu and New Caledonia

<i>Taxus cuspidata</i> Species of plant

Taxus cuspidata, the Japanese yew or spreading yew, is a member of the genus Taxus, native to Japan, Korea, northeast China and the extreme southeast of Russia.

<i>Adenanthera pavonina</i> Species of legume

Adenanthera pavonina is a perennial and non-climbing species of leguminous tree. Its uses include food and drink, traditional medicine, and timber.

<i>Handroanthus impetiginosus</i> Species of tree

Handroanthus impetiginosus, the pink ipê, pink lapacho or pink trumpet tree, is a tree in the family Bignoniaceae, distributed throughout North, Central and South America, from northern Mexico south to northern Argentina. Along with all the other species in the Handroanthus genus, it is the national tree of Paraguay.

<i>Barringtonia acutangula</i> Species of plant

Barringtonia acutangula is a species of Barringtonia native to coastal wetlands in southern Asia and northern Australasia, from Afghanistan east to the Philippines, Queensland and the Northern Territory. Common names include freshwater mangrove, itchytree and mango-pine.

<i>Alstonia macrophylla</i> Species of flowering plant

Alstonia macrophylla, the hard alstonia, hard milkwood or big-leaved macrophyllum, is a species of plant in the family Apocynaceae.

<i>Alstonia constricta</i> Species of tree

Alstonia constricta, commonly known as quinine bush or bitterbark, is an endemic Australian endemic shrub or small tree of the family Apocynaceae.

<i>Duboisia myoporoides</i> Species of plant

Duboisia myoporoides, or corkwood, is a shrub or tree native to high-rainfall areas on the margins of rainforest in eastern Australia. It has a thick and corky bark. The leaves are obovate to elliptic in shape, 4–15 cm long and 1–4 cm wide. The small white flowers are produced in clusters. This is followed by globose purple-black berries.

<i>Ailanthus triphysa</i> Species of tree

Ailanthus triphysa is a medium to tall evergreen rainforest tree that is native to Asia and Australia. The wood is used for matchwood and plywood. The tree is known as halmaddi in India, where its resin, also called halmaddi, may be used in incense. Inappropriate extraction methods were resulting in trees dying, thus by the 1990s the Indian forestry department had banned extraction.

<i>Acalypha indica</i> Species of flowering plant

Acalypha indica is an herbaceous annual that has catkin-like inflorescences with cup-shaped involucres surrounding the minute flowers. It is mainly known for its root being attractive to domestic cats, and for its various medicinal uses. It occurs throughout the Tropics.

<i>Solanum erianthum</i> Species of plant

Solanum erianthum is a species of nightshade that is native to southern North America and northern South America. It has been introduced to other parts of the world and has a nearly pantropical distribution. Common names include mullein nightshade, velvet nightshade, and salvadora. The potatoes are not the fruits of the trees, they are the leaves.

<i>Erythrina velutina</i> Species of legume

Erythrina velutina is a species of leguminous tree. It is indigenous to Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Hispaniola and has been introduced to much of the Caribbean, Uganda, and Sri Lanka. It also occurs on the Galápagos Islands, but whether it is indigenous or introduced there is unclear. In Brazil, it occurs on plains and near rivers in the arid parts of the northeast of the country and is commonly known as "mulungu". Erythrina velutina grows as a large tree to around 10 m (30 ft) high and has short spines on the stem. It is perennial.

<i>Simarouba</i> Family of shrubs and trees

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 pairs of alternate pinnate leaflets. Their flowers are unisexual, relatively small and arranged in large panicles. Plants are dioecious, bearing only male or female flowers. The individual flowers have between 4 and 6 sepals and petals and between 8 and 12 stamens. The fruit is a carpophore and has up to 5 drupaceous mericarps.

Alstonia boonei is a very large, deciduous, tropical-forest tree belonging to the Dogbane Family (Apocynaceae). It is native to tropical West Africa, with a range extending into Ethiopia and Tanzania. Its common name in the English timber trade is cheese wood, pattern wood or stool wood while its common name in the French timber trade is emien.

<i>Alstonia congensis</i> Species of plant

Alstonia congensis, is a tree within the Apocynaceae family and one of two African species within the Alstonia genus, the other being the Alstonia boonei De Wild. Both have similar morphological characteristics.

Annickia polycarpa is a small to medium-sized tree found in evergreen forests of West and Central Africa, it is within the Annonaceae family. It is also called the African Yellow wood.

References

  1. ↑ Lakhey, P.; Pathak, J. (2021). "Alstonia scholaris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T32295A2812825. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T32295A2812825.en .
  2. ↑ GBIF.org (07 June 2018) GBIF Occurrence Download https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.eokqvq Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br.
  3. 1 2 3 "Alstonia scholaris". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  4. ↑ Lane-Poole, C.E. (1925). Forest Resources of the Territories of Papua and New Guinea. Melbourne: Government Printer. p. 134.
  5. 1 2 "Dita / Alstonia scholaris / WHITE CHEESE WOOD / Tang jiao shu /: Philippine Medicinal Herbs / Philippine Alternative Medicine". www.stuartxchange.org. Retrieved 29 June 2007.
  6. ↑ Corner, Prof. E.J.H. (1952). Wayside Trees of Malaya - Volume 1. Singapore: Govt Printing Office. p. 141.
  7. ↑ "Alstonia scholaris". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 29 June 2007.[ title missing ]
  8. ↑ Simon Gardner, Pindar Sidisunthorn and Lai Ee May, 2011. Heritage Trees of Penang. Penang: Areca Books. ISBN   978-967-57190-6-6
  9. 1 2 Baliga, Manjeshwar Shrinath; Jagetia, Ganesh Chandra; Ulloor, Jagadish N.; Baliga, Manjeshwar Poonam; Ponemone, Venkatesh; Reddy, Rosi; Rao, Mallikarjun K. V. N.; Baliga, Shivanada Bantwal; Devi, Sulochana; Raju, Sudheer Kumar; Veeresh, Veerapura; Reddy, Tiyyagura Koti; Bairy, Laxminarayana K. (2004). "The evaluation of the acute toxicity and long term safety of hydroalcoholic extract of Sapthaparna (Alstonia scholaris) in mice and rats". Toxicology Letters. 151 (2): 317–326. doi:10.1016/j.toxlet.2004.01.015. PMID   15183456.
  10. ↑ Bhattacharya, S. K.; Bose, R.; Dutta, S. C.; Ray, A. B.; Guha, S. R. (1979). "Neuropharmacological studies on strictamine isolated from Alstonia scholaris". Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. 17 (6): 598–600. PMID   500142.
  11. ↑ Yamauchi, Tatsuo; Abe, Fumiko; Padolina, William G.; Dayrit, Fabian M. (1990). "Alkaloids from leaves and bark of Alstonia scholaris in the Philippines". Phytochemistry. 29 (10): 3321–3325. Bibcode:1990PChem..29.3321Y. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(90)80208-X . Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  12. ↑ Tonanont, N. Wood used in pencil making. Vanasarn 1974 Vol. 32 No. 3 pp. 225–227
  13. ↑ Grieve, M. (1931). "Alstonia". A Modern Botanical. Retrieved 29 June 2007.
  14. ↑ J. H. Maiden (1889). The useful native plants of Australia : Including Tasmania. Sydney: Turner and Henderson.
  15. 1 2 Wright, Colin W.; Allen, David; Phillipson, J. David; Kirby, Geoffrey C.; Warhurst, David C.; Massiot, Georges; Le Men-Olivier, Louisette (September 1993). "Alstonia species: are they effective in malaria treatment?". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 40 (1): 41–45. doi:10.1016/0378-8741(93)90087-L. PMID   8246529.
  16. 1 2 Wright, C. W.; Allen, D.; Cai, Ya; Phillipson, J. D.; Said, I. M.; Kirby, G. C.; Warhurst, D. C. (June 1992). "In vitro antiamoebic and antiplasmodial activities of alkaloids isolated from Alstonia angustifolia roots". Phytotherapy Research. 6 (3): 121–124. doi:10.1002/ptr.2650060303. S2CID   86802484.
  17. ↑ Abhishek Gulshan (22 October 2019). "Why the Saptaparni is called the devil's tree". The Hindu . Retrieved 14 February 2023.
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