Indian Bodhi bark

Indian Bodhi bark

(Chinese medicine and plant Atlas)

[source] it is the bark of the mulberry tree.

[plant morphology] thinking tree (Youyang Zazu), also known as beiboluo tree (records of the western regions of the Tang Dynasty), bodhi tree (Youyang Zazu), Indian wave tree and Indian bodhi tree.

It is a large evergreen tree with a height of more than 30 meters. Young plants are often attached to other trees. The trunk has a great concave convex part, branches expand and air roots. The leaves are leathery, ovoid, 10-17 cm long and 7-10 cm wide. The apex is suddenly narrowed to form a long tail tip. The tail length is about 1 / 4-1 / 2 of the leaf length. The base is truncated to semicardiform, entire or microwave shaped. The lateral veins are about 8 pairs. The net veins are small and obvious. The petiole is 7-10 cm long. Inflorescence receptacle oblate, sessile, axillary in pairs; basal bracts 3-4; male flower, gall flower and female flower in inflorescence receptacle; male perianth 3, stamen 1; female perianth 5, lanceolate, style lateral; gall flower like female flower, but ovary with thick and long stalk, stigma not oblong. The flowering period is November.

It is cultivated in the south of China.

[chemical constituents] the aerial part contains phenols, amino acids, organic acids and sugars.

The bark contains β - sitosterol-d-glucoside, which has hypoglycemic effect, resin and trace alkaloids.

[pharmacological action] oral administration of the extract has hypoglycemic effect on alloxan induced diabetic rabbits. Phytosterolin, a component of bark, can stimulate the central nervous system of rabbits and mice, increase body temperature and oxygen consumption, and reduce blood glucose. The hot water extract of bark has relaxing and antispasmodic effects on small intestine and uterine smooth muscle of many animals. It can block the effect of acetylcholine on cardiovascular system and prevent asthma caused by acetylcholine and histamine in guinea pigs.

[functions and indications] Chinese medicine plant Atlas: "gargling with the juice of bark can cure toothache and strengthen the gums. "