Common Name:

General Information

Ophiorrhiza mungos is an erect, herbaceous, evergreen perennial plant with stems that can become more or less woody and persist; it usually grows 10 - 50cm tall, but can reach 100cm[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southwest China, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

Primary and secondary forest, in moist localities; at elevations up to 400 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark of the root is said to be laxative and sedative[].
The roots are intensely bitter and are official in the French and Spanish Pharmacopoeias. They are applied as a treatment of cancer and are also widely known in Malesia for treating snakebites, although this is incorrect. This misconception seems to be based on its resemblance to Rauvolfia serpentina[].
The species name is based on the story that mongoose eat this plant when bitten by a snake; however, its anti-snakebite activity is unfounded[].

A decoction of the leaves, roots and bark make an agreeable, bitter tonic and stomachic[].
The plant is used as a poultice for keeping the skin moist and soft[].

In India, a decoction of the leaves, roots and bark is made into a bitter tonic and stomachic[].

The aerial parts of the plant contain several alkaloids, including camptothecin and 10-methoxycamptothecin[].
In limited trials, camptothecin has shown a broad spectrum anti-tumour activity, but its toxicity and poor solubility have caused several problems[].
Camptothecin has also been shown to have potentially useful activity against pathogenic protozoa such as Leishmania donovani and Trypanosoma brucei, which cause Leishmaniasis and sleeping sickness, respectively[].
The natural 10-hydroxy-camptothecin is more active than camptothecin, and is used in China against cancers of the neck and head[].
More promising are the analogues 9-amino-camptothecin and several semi-synthetic derivatives. These compounds have been tested in clinical trials and show good responses in a number of cancers, including colon, lung, ovarial and cervical cancers[].
Both camphothecin and 10-methoxycamphtothecin also possess antivirus activity against Herpes simplex virus[]

Other Uses

A paste made of the scrapings of the stem is used in the production of scabbards and guitars[].

Propagation

Seed -

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