Wikstroemia indica

Species of plant

Wikstroemia indica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Thymelaeaceae
Genus: Wikstroemia
Species:
W. indica
Binomial name
Wikstroemia indica

Wikstroemia indica, also known as tie bush, Indian stringbush, bootlace bush, or small-leaf salago (Chinese: 了哥王; pinyin: liǎo gē wáng) is a small shrub with glossy leaves, small greenish-yellow flowers and toxic red fruits. It grows in forests and on rocky, shrubby slopes in central and southeastern China, Vietnam, India, Australia and the Philippines.[2][3]

Toxicity

W. indica is toxic[4] and the poisoning caused by W. indica leads to dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, abdominal pain and diarrhea.[5]

Medicinal uses

It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. As a traditional Chinese herb, this plant has long been employed as an antipyretic, detoxicant, expectorant, vermifuge, and abortifacient in clinical practice in China.[5]

Chemicals

An alcoholic extract of the plant was found to contain daphnoretin, chrysophanol, myricitrime and rutin.[6] The extract of W. indica displays antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro.[6]

Gallery

  • Botanical line drawing showing foliage and flowers. Plant labelled with obsolete name Daphne indica.
    Botanical line drawing showing foliage and flowers. Plant labelled with obsolete name Daphne indica.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wikstroemia indica.
  1. ^ "Wikstroemia indica". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
  2. ^ "Wikstroemia indica (Linnaeus) C. A. Meyer". Flora of China. eFlora. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
  3. ^ "Wikstroemia indica (L.) C. A. Mey". Hortus Camdenensis. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
  4. ^ Xie, W.Z. (1996). National Chinese Traditional Medicine Compilation. Beijing: China: People' s Publishing House. pp. 10–12.
  5. ^ a b Li, Y.-M.; Zhu, L.; Jiang, J.-G.; Yang, L.; Wang, D.-Y. (2009). "Bioactive Components and Pharmacological Action of Wikstroemia indica (L.) C. A. Mey. and its Clinical Application" (PDF). Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. 10 (8): 743–752. doi:10.2174/138920109789978748. ISSN 1389-2010. PMID 19939213.
  6. ^ a b Lu CL, Zhu L, Piao JH, Jiang JG (2012). "Chemical compositions extracted from Wikstroemia indica and their multiple activities". Pharm. Biol. 50 (2): 225–231. doi:10.3109/13880209.2011.596207. PMID 22235889.
Taxon identifiers
Wikstroemia indica
Daphne indica