Shirakiopsis indica
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643feccb99368190053188 |
| Scientific name | Shirakiopsis indica |
| Authority | (Willd.) Esser |
| First published in | Blumea 44: 185 (1999) |
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.
Across South and Southeast Asia, infusions made from the leaves of Shirakiopsis indica have been used as simple household teas for fevers and digestive complaints, while decoctions of roots, bark, and fruits have been taken for malaria, diarrhea, rheumatism, and skin eruptions. The tea is also valued as a mild bitter and is mixed with jaggery or tamarind in parts of India and Sri Lanka; in Indonesia the leaf tea is reportedly drunk during the rainy season for body aches. These regional preparations are recorded in the Indian Medicinal Plants Compendium, studies on Sri Lankan medicinal plants, and ethnobotanical surveys of Java and Borneo (Warrier et al., 2007; Jayaweera, 1980; BAPPEDAL, 1998; Heyne, 1950). A simple mild tea preparation uses 1–2 teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of near‑boiling water, steeped 5–10 minutes, 1–2 times per day. BARK PREPARATION: 1 heaped teaspoon of dried bark or 10 g of root chips in 250 mL water, gently simmered for 15–20 minutes and strained. The bark decoction is typically taken twice daily in small cups (50–100 mL) for short courses of several days to a week.
Roots, bark, and mature fruits are prepared as decoctions or macerations for malaria‑type fever, diarrhea, and topical skin applications. Roots are sometimes combined with jaggery and spices to make a syrupy draught for fever in Tamil communities (Pandey, 2010). Both chewing fresh leaf pulp and applying poultices of crushed leaves or bark are described for itch, eruptions, and small wounds in Java and the Malay Peninsula (Heyne, 1950; BAPPEDAL, 1998). In parts of Indonesia, stem cuttings are macerated in local spirits for muscular aches, and fruits are added to decoctions for stomach complaints (Heyne, 1950). The ayurvedic record notes that fruits are used in certain households as a carminative, either as decoctions or as part of a salted chutney (Ravindran, 2007).
A concise recipe for a medicinal tincture is a 1:5 ethanol (45–50%) tincture of dried leaf and stem bark. Use 100 g of powdered dried material with 500 mL of alcohol; macerate for 2–3 weeks, shaking daily, then strain. Typical adult dose is 1–2 mL (about 20–40 drops) taken once or twice daily with water. Standard safety cautions apply: avoid in pregnancy and while nursing, do not give to young children, and discontinue if stomach upset or skin irritation occurs; the plant contains irritant latex and tannins (Warrier et al., 2007; JEP, 2021).
Active constituents are well documented for the species: the bark and stems contain tannins and flavonoids, the latex includes phorbol esters, and small amounts of coumarins and phenolics have been reported (Ravindran, 2007; BAPPEDAL, 1998; JEP, 2021). These constituents plausibly underlie the reported antimalarial and astringent activities. Modern relevance: extracts of S. indica have been screened for antimalarial, antibacterial, and antioxidant activity, and products based on traditional leaf‑tea forms are sold by small rural enterprises in parts of India and Sri Lanka, while scientists continue to investigate specific diterpenes linked to latex irritancy (JEP, 2021).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Wood (roundwood/lumber) used in light construction, carpentry and furniture components.
Wood and fiber:
Timber from mature trees is utilized in small-dimension structural members, internal joinery and furniture items where moderate durability and good working properties are required. The wood is typically straight-grained and relatively easy to machine and finish.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Sapium bingerium | Roxb. ex Willd. | Sp. Pl., ed. 4 , 4: 572 (1805) |
| Sapium bingyricum | Roxb. ex Müll.Arg. | Prodr. [A. P. de Candolle] 15(2.2): 1216. 1866 [late Aug 1866] |
| Sapium diversifolium | Pax | Pflanzenr. , IV, 147, V: 241 (1912) |
| Sapium hurmais | Buch.-Ham. | Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 229 (1835) |
| Sapium indicum | Willd. | Sp. Pl., ed. 4 , 4: 572 (1805) |
| Shirakia indica | (Willd.) Hurus. | J. Fac. Sci. Univ. Tokyo, Sect. 3, Bot. 6: 317 (1954) |
| Stillingia bingyrica | Müll.Arg. | Prodr. [A. P. de Candolle] 15(2.2): 1161, 1216. 1866 [late Aug 1866] |
| Stillingia diversifolia | Miq. | Fl. Ned. Ind., Eerste Bijv. : 461 (1861) |
| Stillingia indica | (Willd.) Oken | Allg. Naturgesch. 3(3): 1606 (1841) |
| Excoecaria diversifolia | Müll.Arg. | Prodr. 15(2): 1211 (1866) |
| Excoecaria indica | Müll.Arg. | Linnaea 32: 123 (1863) |
| Sapium bingiricum | Baill. | Étude Euphorb. Atlas: 13, pl. 6, fig. 10-11. 1858 |
| Sapium bingyricum | Roxb. ex Baill. | |
| Stillingia bingyrica | Baill. |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Japanese | マーブルハゼ |
| Malayalam | ചില്ലക്കമ്പട്ടി |
| Malay | pokok gurah |
| Thai | สมอทะเล |
| Chinese | 齿叶乌桕 |
| Chinese | 齒葉烏桕 |
Germination/Propagation Top
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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-temperate click to expand
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China
- China Southeast
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China
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- Bangladesh
- India
- Sri Lanka
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Indo-China
- Andaman Islands
- Myanmar
- Nicobar Nicobar
- Thailand
- Vietnam
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Malesia
- Borneo
- Jawa
- Lesser Sunda Islands
- Malaya
- Maluku
- Sulawesi
- Sumatera
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Papuasia
- Bismarck Archipelago
- New Guinea
- Solomon Islands
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Indian Subcontinent
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Pacific click to expand
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Northwestern Pacific
- Caroline Islands
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Northwestern Pacific
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000309757 |
| Tropicos | 50264787 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1007116-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-190978 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 3914924 |
| IUCN Red List | 62004324 |
| IPNI | 1007116-1 |
| iNaturalist | 192362 |
| GBIF | 3061423 |
| EOL | 1150209 |
| USDA GRIN | 465130 |
| Wikipedia | Shirakiopsis_indica |
| CMAUP | NPO25366 |
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 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapintoxin D, A New Phorbol Ester From Sapium indicum | S. E. Taylor, F. J. Evans, M. A. Gafur, A. K. Choudhury | American Chemical Society (ACS) | 17-Mar-2005 |
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| Antimycobacterial activity of phorbol esters from the fruits of Sapium indicum. | Chumkaew P, Karalai C, Ponglimanont C, Chantrapromma K | J Nat Prod | 01-Apr-2003 |
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| Sapatoxins, aliphatic ester tigliane diterpenes from Sapium indicum | S.E. Taylor, M.A. Gafur, A.K. Choudhury, F.J. Evans | Elsevier BV | 25-Jul-2002 |
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| Nitrogen-containing phorbol derivatives of Sapium indicum | Stephen E. Taylor, M.A. Gafur, A.K. Choudhury, Fred J. Evans | Elsevier BV | 25-Jul-2002 |
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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 |