Common Name:

General Information

Eurycoma longifolia is a small, dioecious tree which can grow up to 10 metres tall. It is usually unbranched, or with a few upright branches. Each branch is crowned by an umbrella-like rosette of compound leaves[].
A popular traditional medicine, the plant is often harvested from the wild for local use.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines.

Habitat

Frequent at low elevations in beach forests on sandy soil; an understorey in primary and secondary forest; mixed dipterocarp rain-forest; heath forest; low forest on ridge crests; on sandstone and dry kerangas, rarely to 500 or even 1,000 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	8.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist to wet lowland tropics, where it can sometimes be found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 30°c, but can tolerate 15 - 35°c[]. It can be killed by temperatures of -1°c or lower[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,000 - 4,000mm, but tolerates 1,500 - 5,000mm[].
Succeeds in full sun and in light shade[]. Seedlings require shade, during which time they develop an extensive root system. Following the juvenile stage, they need stronger light to develop vegetative and reproductive parts[]. Succeeds in a wide range of well-drained soils, preferring a well-drained sandy loam with good supply of humus, or a friable clay to red and laterite soil[]. Prefers a pH in the range 4.5 - 5.5, tolerating 4 - 6[]. The plant is often found in the wild in Kerangas forest - a type of moist, heath forest found on acidic, sandy soils that are low in nutrients, especially nitrogen[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

All parts of the plant, in particular the roots, have long been used medicinally. It has antibacterial and aphrodisiac properties and is used for pain relief[].

The roots, and particularly the bark of the roots, are used as a febrifuge in the treatment of malaria, fevers and intestinal worms[, , ]. They are also used as a tonic, especially following childbirth[, ]. The root is also used as a male aphrodisiac[]. The bitter constituents of the roots will, in a large enough dose, provoke vomiting and are employed as such[]. A decoction of the root is drunk to relieve gastric pains and reduce high blood pressure[].
A poultice of the pounded root is used as a treatment on wounds, ulcers and sores[].

A decoction of the bark is drunk to relieve pain in the bones[].

The leaves are reportedly eaten raw to relieve stomach-ache[].
A decoction of the leaves is used for washing itches[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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