Alstonia spectabilis

Alstonia spectabilis, a tall tree of the Apocynaceae family, is used in several tropical societies as a tea, decoction, maceration or poultice. Among the Karen of northern Myanmar, a bark decoction taken as a warm drink is recorded as a remedy for malaria and high fever (Htoo, 2010). In the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, traditional healers prepare a bark infusion that is drunk to break fever and to calm digestive upset (Kabir et al., 2014). The Kuman people of Papua New Guinea crush fresh leaves and apply them as a poultice to cuts and burns, a practice described by Van der Burgt (1995).

The same bark is also used in the Philippines, where the Ilocano highland communities steep a handful of dried bark in hot water and sip the tea to relieve cough and chest congestion (C. Bayani, 2005). In each case the plant part is the bark, except for the Kuman poultice, which employs fresh leaves. These preparations are taken several times a day, often after meals, and are culturally linked to the belief that the bitter taste clears “heat” from the body.

One practical recipe, drawn from the Karen practice, is a simple bark decoction. Take 30 g of dried, crushed bark and add to 500 mL of water. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Cool, strain, and drink 150 mL of the warm liquid two to three times daily. Because the alkaloid‑rich decoction may stimulate uterine activity, it should not be used by pregnant women and the daily dose should not exceed three cups without professional guidance.

The therapeutic effect is plausible because Alstonia spectabilis bark is known to contain the indole alkaloids echitamine and alstonine, together with tannin‑rich flavonoids (Huang et al., 2019). Both alkaloids have demonstrated antimalarial and antipyretic activity in laboratory assays, and the tannins contribute astringent properties that can help reduce fever‑related inflammation. The presence of these compounds explains the traditional reputation of the bark as a fever‑breaker.

Today, the plant is the subject of ongoing pharmacological studies that aim to isolate echitamine for novel antimalarial drugs, while commercial herbal firms sell standardized bark tinctures based on the same preparation (Kiew & Teo, 2008). Local markets in Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea still sell dried bark for the traditional decoctions, indicating that the ethnobotanical practices remain an active part of community health care.

Common products:
- Sawn timber; veneer; pulpwood.

Wood and fiber:
- Used for light construction, furniture, interior paneling, and veneer. Occasionally processed into pulp for paper; historically reported for match splints in the Pacific region. The wood is a lightweight hardwood with a specific gravity around 0.42–0.50, and air-dries with slight checking. Janka hardness ≈ 420 lbf; sapwood is non-durable and vulnerable to borers and fungi, while heartwood is of moderate resistance. These properties favor interior uses and products where structural loads are low. Ease of machining, gluing, and finishing make it suitable for furniture components and joinery.

Industrial and craft applications:
- Pulp and paper: fiber length and cellulose content support chemical pulping for printing and writing grades; kraft pulping typically applied.
- High-grade matches: wood density and ease of splitting enable uniform splint production.

Properties relevant to use:
- Specific gravity ≈ 0.42–0.50; low shrinkage (radial ~3.0%, tangential ~5.5%, volumetric ~8.5%); moderate hardness; relatively thin sapwood.

Standards and regulation:
- Timber graded and traded under national hardwood standards; pulpwood conforms to national or mill-specific specifications.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Occurs across Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and parts of Australia; supplies are generally locally oriented due to moderate timber volumes. Sedentary logging and species management are recommended for long-term availability.

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No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

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