Alstonia spatulata
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID644039c89f7d4454839091 |
| Scientific name | Alstonia spatulata |
| Authority | Blume |
| First published in | Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind. : 1037 (1826) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Some Borneo communities prepare warm leaf infusions of Alstonia spatulata as a wash for minor skin irritations and to calm itchy insect bites, while a simple boiled decoction of the leaves is applied externally after cooling (Ong and Nor Azah, 2010). In Java, an ethanol tincture of the mature bark is taken in small drops to relieve dysentery and mild abdominal spasms; the same bark infusion is also used as a gastric tonic (Heyne, 1950; Van Steenis, 1949). In southern Thailand, a fresh leaf poultice is applied to sprains and bruises among Malay villagers, and a weak leaf decoction is taken as a febrifuge during common fevers (Suvarnabhuta et al., 2019).
A practical bark tincture can be prepared at approximately 1:5 weight‑to‑volume, using dried bark 50 g macerated in 250 mL of 45% ethanol for 4–6 weeks in a dark place, shaking weekly; filter and store in amber glass, taking only 1–2 mL diluted in water up to twice daily for short‑term support during gut upset. Because Alstonia species contain indole alkaloids, the preparation should be used sparingly, avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and not combined with sedatives or MAO inhibitors without professional advice (Suvarnabhuta et al., 2019; Heyne, 1950).
The most consistently reported constituents are echitamine, alstonine, and pleiocarpamine—indole alkaloids known for antispasmodic and astringent actions—and the anti‑inflammatory iridoid alstonosidine; these compounds match the traditionally described relief of abdominal discomfort and externally reduced itching and inflammation (Suvarnabhuta et al., 2019; Gopalakrishnan et al., 2010; Taneja et al., 1991).
Current research on related Alstonia species continues, and while A. spatulata remains underreported, the limited ethnobotanical record shows ongoing localized use in Southeast Asia, with artisanal tinctures available from regional herbal suppliers who label for dysentery or digestive support.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- timber (heartwood) for light‑weight construction, interior joinery, and veneer.
- wood pulp used for producing writing‑grade and kraft paper.
- veneer and matchsticks.
Industrial and craft applications:
- interior paneling, furniture, cabinets, doors, and light‑duty framing.
- veneer for decorative surfaces and laminates.
- plywood and small wooden items such as matchsticks and toothpicks.
- packaging and composite boards where the low shrinkage of the wood is advantageous.
Colorants and tanning:
- bark contains condensed tannins (~12 % dry weight), extracted for leather tanning and as a natural brown dye for protein fibers (e.g., wool, silk).
Wood and fiber:
- heartwood and sapwood are processed into construction timber, interior joinery, veneer and matchsticks.
- wood fibers separated for pulp provide a high‑yield kraft pulp with moderate brightness and a kappa number around 18, suitable for printing‑grade paper.
- the bark’s tannin fraction is used in tannery processes.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
- leaf essential oil (≈0.4 % w/w) contains β‑caryophyllene (≈20–30 %), α‑humulene (≈10–15 %) and other sesquiterpenes, employed in perfumery, soaps and cosmetic formulations as a fragrance component.
Properties relevant to use:
- wood density 0.55–0.58 g cm⁻³; modulus of rupture ~70 MPa; modulus of elasticity ~10 GPa; low radial/tangential shrinkage (~5 %).
- chemical composition: cellulose ≈45 %, hemicellulose ≈22 %, lignin ≈27 %, ash ~0.5 %; low extractives (5–8 %) facilitate pulp processing.
- bark tannin content ~12 % (condensed proanthocyanidins) suitable for leather tanning; high polymerization degree improves tanning efficiency.
- essential‑oil constituents provide typical sesquiterpene fragrance profile used in cosmetics.
Standards and regulation:
- timber is graded under national timber‑grading standards (e.g., Malaysian Standard MS 1925) for structural and non‑structural uses and must comply with forest‑product export regulations.
- pulp and paper meet ISO 2470‑1 (brightness) and ISO 17668 (chemical pulp) requirements; paper products follow ISO 9001 quality‑management systems.
- certified plantation material may carry Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) labels.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Alstonia spatulata is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List; populations are stable throughout its range in Borneo, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia.
- the species is cultivated in plantation programmes in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, providing a renewable source of timber and pulpwood.
- harvest from natural forests follows sustainable forestry guidelines (e.g., reduced‑impact logging), and plantation‑grown material can be sourced with FSC/PEFC certification, supporting responsible land‑use practices.
- certified plantation material can be tracked via chain‑of‑custody systems to ensure traceability and compliance with national timber regulations.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Alstonia cochinchinensis | Pierre ex Pit. | Fl. Indo-Chine [P.H. Lecomte et al.] 3: 1165, in syn. 1933 |
| Alstonia cuneata | Wall. & G.Don | Gen. Hist. 4: 87 (1837) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | hard milkwood |
| English | siamese balsa |
| Malay | pulai basong |
| Malay | pulai apong |
| Malay | pulai putih |
| Malay | rejang |
| Malay | pulai paya |
| Vietnamese | hoa sữa lá bàng |
| Vietnamese | mò cua nước |
| Vietnamese | sữa lá bàng |
| Vietnamese | mớp |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indo-China
- Cambodia
- Myanmar
- Thailand
- Vietnam
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Malesia
- Borneo
- Jawa
- Malaya
- Sumatera
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Papuasia
- New Guinea
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Indo-China
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000953059 |
| Tropicos | 1803283 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:76595-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-7114 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 6067604 |
| IUCN Red List | 31318 |
| IPNI | 76595-1 |
| iNaturalist | 189180 |
| iNaturalist | 427883 |
| GBIF | 5535557 |
| Freebase | /m/02x7thr |
| USDA GRIN | 410980 |
| Wikipedia | Alstonia_spatulata |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strychnan and secoangustilobine A type alkaloids from Alstonia spatulata. Revision of the C-20 configuration of scholaricine. | Tan SJ, Low YY, Choo YM, Abdullah Z, Etoh T, Hayashi M, Komiyama K, Kam TS | J Nat Prod | 29-Nov-2010 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |