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by | Mar 16, 2018 | Hosta

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In Thrissur, India

Ichnocarpus frutescens is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, known by the English common name black creeper.[2] It is native to much of China, India, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia.[1][3]

It is a woody shrub with lianas sprawling to 10 m (33 ft) in maximum length and 6 cm (2.4 in) in diameter. The bark produces a creamy white sap. The leaves are up to 11 cm (4.3 in) long by 4.5 cm (1.8 in) 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 14 cm (5.5 in) long. The roots may be reddish or purple. The plant is sold in markets in some areas in India.[4]

Uses

The plant has a large number of traditional medicinal uses, including for rheumatism, asthma, cholera, and fever.[5] Some in vitro and rodent studies have suggested that extracts of the plant may inhibit tumors,[6] protect liver cells from damage in acetaminophen overdose,[7] and reduces complications of hyperlipidemia in diabetic rats.[8] There have been no published studies testing any of these effects in humans.

The fibrous bark is used to make rope.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Ichnocarpus frutescens". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Ichnocarpus frutescens". Dave's Garden. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b Li, Bingtao; Leeuwenberg, Antony J. M.; Middleton, David J. (2008) [1995]. Wu, Z. Y.; Raven, P. H. (eds.). "Ichnocarpus frutescens, Apocynaceae, Vol. 16". Flora of China. Online access. St. Louis, MO & Cambridge, MA.: Missouri Botanical Garden Press and Harvard University Herbaria. Retrieved 9 Mar 2013.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ Kumarappan CT, Mandal SC (June 2007). "Antitumor activity of polyphenolic extract of Ichnocarpus frutescens". Exp. Oncol. 29 (2): 94–101. PMID 17704739. Archived from the original on 2010-12-15. Retrieved 2011-09-26.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Kumarappan CT, Mandal SC (2008). "Polyphenolic extract of Ichnocarpus frutescens attenuates diabetic complications in streptozotocin-treated diabetic rats". Ren Fail. 30 (3): 307–22. doi:10.1080/08860220701857449. PMID 18350451. S2CID 205592916.
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