Gmelina arborea

Among the tribal communities of eastern India, fresh or dried leaves are boiled in water for a short time and the resulting decoction is taken as a fever‑reducing tea (Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2019). In the southwestern part of Nigeria, Yoruba healers grind the inner bark into a coarse powder, simmer it in water for about 20 minutes, and drink the warm decoction to relieve dysentery (African Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicines, 2017). Healers in the Philippines apply a poultice made from crushed fresh leaves to cuts and sores, letting the leaves stay in place for several hours until the wound is cleaned (Philippine Journal of Herbal Medicine, 2016). A separate report from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh records that a mild leaf infusion is steeped for ten minutes and drunk to soothe coughs (Bangladesh Journal of Herbal Medicine, 2020).

All of these preparations use the same general method of extracting soluble compounds: plant material is boiled or steeped in water and the liquid is strained before consumption. The leaf is the part most often employed in teas and poultices, while the bark is preferred for the stronger decoctions used to treat dysentery.

One practical recipe, widely taught in rural Indian households, yields a mild tea suitable for occasional fever relief: place 5 g of dried Gmelina arborea leaves in a saucepan with 250 ml of cold water, bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover it, and let the leaves steep for another 10 minutes. Strain the liquid and drink the warm tea up to twice a day. Safety notes: because the bark contains stronger astringent compounds, pregnant women should avoid any Gmelina preparations, and people with low blood pressure should limit intake to no more than two cups per day to prevent excessive vasodilation.

Chemical studies consistently report that Gmelina arborea leaves and bark are rich in flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol, phenolic acids including gallic and caffeic acids, saponins, lignans like gmelinol, and the triterpenoid ursolic acid. These phytochemicals are known to possess anti‑inflammatory, antipyretic and astringent actions, which help explain the fever‑reducing, dysentery‑relieving and wound‑healing uses described above.

Modern relevance: standardized leaf extracts are now being investigated for their anti‑inflammatory activity in clinical trials, and commercial tinctures and tea blends derived from Gmelina arborea are increasingly sold in specialty herbal markets, while many rural communities continue to prepare the traditional decoctions and poultices described here.

Common products:
- Sawn timber, veneer, and plywood are the principal products of Gmelina arborea, serving as construction timber, furniture components, and interior joinery.
- The wood is harvested as pulpwood and converted into kraft pulp, primarily for containerboard and printing paper.
- Small‑dimension logs are used as fuelwood and for charcoal production.
- A reference genome of Gmelina arborea has been published, making the species a model organism for tropical hardwood genetics.

Industrial and craft applications:
- The timber is employed in the manufacture of furniture, cabinets, doors, and window frames.
- It is used to produce crates, pallets, and other packaging.
- Small wood pieces are processed into matchsticks and lightweight craft items.

Colorants and tanning:
- Bark contains 10–12 % condensed tannins, which are extracted and employed in leather tanning.
- The same tannin extracts provide natural brown dyes for wool and other protein fibers.

Wood and fiber:
- Sawn lumber is used for structural members, flooring, and veneer sheets.
- The wood’s high holocellulose (≈70 % of dry matter) and moderate lignin (≈27 %) make it suitable for both mechanical and chemical pulping.

Properties relevant to use:
- The species has a low basic density (0.44–0.55 g cm⁻³) and low radial shrinkage, facilitating processing and dimensional stability.
- Fast growth enables a rotation of 5–7 years for pulpwood, while extractive content remains below 5 %, improving pulp yield.
- Cellulose content around 45 % of dry weight contributes to the high tear strength of the resulting paper.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Gmelina arborea is cultivated extensively in plantations across tropical South and Southeast Asia and in parts of Latin America.
- It is listed by the FAO as a recommended fast‑rotation species for sustainable timber production and contributes an estimated 10–15 t CO₂ ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ of carbon sequestration in its early growth stage.
- Short‑rotation cycles and the ability to regenerate through coppice support continued supply with minimal land‑use change.

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No distribution data was extracted from POWO/KEW yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

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

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