Common Name:

General Information

Tabernaemontana persicariifolia is a shrub or a tree that usually grows up to 5 metres tall, though specimens up to 10 metres have been recorded. The bole can be up to 40cm in diameter[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.
The plant is very rare on Réunion but is found in greater numbers on Mauritius, where it still survives in small area of relatively undisturbed dry land forest. It is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

The bark sap and roots are used as fish poison[].

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Mauritius, Réunion.

Habitat

Forest and open, rocky localities, at elevations up to 1,200 metres. In Réunion it is found in relatively dry forest at low elevations, in Mauritius in more humid forest at medium to high elevations[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	3.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A decoction of the stem bark and leaves has astringent properties and is taken to treat gonorrhoea and dysentery. It is also taken to expel intestinal worms[].

Several indole alkaloids have been isolated from Tabernaemontana persicariifolia. The stem bark and root bark contain mainly the monomeric indole alkaloids dregamine and vobasine, and also some tubotaiwine, which occurs in the leaves as well. Dregamine shows convulsant and respiration-stimulant activities. It also inhibits muscular fatigue in vitro and in vivo. It is used in treatments of muscular and nervous asthenia, respiratory depression and type III poliovirus (HPV-3). Tubotaiwine has local analgesic activity. Vobasine exhibited little activity in general pharmacological screening tests. The bark also contains sterols, triterpenes and saponins[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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