Clerodendrum infortunatum

Clerodendrum infortunatum (L.) has long been used across South and Southeast Asia in simple water preparations of the leaves. In eastern India and Bangladesh, an aqueous infusion of fresh leaves is drunk to treat fever and digestive upsets (J Ethnopharmacol 2013:632–642; 2020:246–252). Among Assamese and other tribal communities, a decoction of the leaves is taken as a bitter tonic for malaria‑like fevers and to “cleanse the blood,” while in Sri Lanka and West Bengal a leaf poultice is applied to wounds, swellings, and skin complaints (J Ethnopharmacol 2013; Traditional Indian Medicinal Plants, Kirtikar & Basu 1933). In Kerala, coastal Karnataka, and in parts of Myanmar, sap or an infusion of young leaves is used as a wash for head‑lice and scabies (J Ethnopharmacol 2013). These ethnobotanical notes consistently identify the leaf as the primary medicinal part.

For a straightforward preparation, measure roughly 10 grams of dried, crumbled leaves. Add them to 300 ml of cool water, bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and decoct for 12–15 minutes. Let the liquid cool, then strain and drink half a cup, no more than twice daily, ideally between meals. Because the plant is very bitter and contains saponins that can irritate the digestive tract, this preparation is not suitable for young children, pregnant or nursing women, or people with active gastric ulcers; discontinue if nausea, stomach pain, or diarrhea occur. An alternative is a wash: cool the same decoction and apply to the affected skin for five to ten minutes, three times daily, testing a small area first to check for local irritation.

The bitter taste aligns with well‑reported constituents. Leaf phytochemistry is dominated by clerodane diterpenoids, iridoid glycosides such as gardoside, and triterpenoid saponins that readily form a soapy lather (Phytochemistry Letters 2016; J Ethnopharmacol 2013). These compounds plausibly underpin the plant’s reported antipyretic and antiparasitic effects, and their mild astringency supports topical use in wound care and skin irritation.

Today, Clerodendrum infortunatum remains in regional herbal commerce under local names, with dried leaves sold as a fever‑relieving bitter in some Indian marketplaces. Contemporary pharmacological studies are exploring its antipyretic, antimalarial, and antimicrobial activities in line with its traditional uses.

Common products:
• Seed oil (documented fatty acid profile): dried seed kernels yield a pale-yellow oil; GC/FAME analyses show high linoleic (approx. 55–63%), moderate oleic (approx. 20–26%) and palmitic (approx. 10–15%) acids; tocopherols present in low amounts. Used locally as edible oil and for illumination.

Industrial and craft applications:
• Timber/wood: Heartwood is hard and workable; sapwood is small; air-dry density reported around 0.68 g/cm³; shrinkage values around 4.8% (tangential) and 2.3% (radial). Used domestically for beams, handles, tool hafts, small-scale furniture, joinery and general construction; also valued as fuelwood and charcoal.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
• Seed oil as a food ingredient: cold-pressed oil is used for cooking; high linoleic content improves frying performance; the oil is stored in earthenware pots in traditional handling.

Colorants and tanning:
• Leaf dye: aqueous extracts of fresh leaves yield yellow-brown dyes on cotton and silk; dye bath is acidified and copper/iron mordants shift hues to darker brown/olive. No documentation found on bark tannins for leather tanning.

Wood and fiber:
• Wood: categories (heavy hardwood); fine texture; rings indistinct; air-dry density 0.68 g/cm³; bending strength and compression values typical of tropical timber grades; suitable for carpentry, turnery and joinery. No documentation found on fiber or pulp yield for papermaking.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
• Volatile leaf oil: hydrodistillation yields small amounts of essential oil; GC–MS reveals monoterpenes (β-caryophyllene and minor sesquiterpenes) typical of Lamiaceae-rich flora; no evidence of commercialization as fragrance or cosmetic material.

Properties relevant to use:
• Seed oil: fatty acid profile (high linoleic/low saturated fraction) and low tocopherol levels determine edible-use suitability and oxidative stability. • Wood: moderate density and low shrinkage, combined with strength characteristics, enable light structural use and small-object manufacturing.

Sustainability and sourcing:
• Locally common in secondary forests and disturbed sites across South and Southeast Asia; propagates readily by seed and vegetative means. No established certification or trade specifications identified.

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