 Gen info
- Vitaceae are a family of flowering plants, with 14 genera and around 910 known species. The family name is derived from the genus Vitis. (13)
-
Leea is a genus of plants in the family Vitaceae, previously placed in it own family, Leeaceae.
-
Etymology: The genus name Leea derives from Latin, a name for tropical small trees or shrubs, which honors James Lee (1715-1795), a Scottish nurseryman based in Hammersmith, London, who introduced many new plant discoveries to England at the end of the 18th century. The species epithet rubra is Latin, meaning "red", referring to the color of the flowers and red stems. (4)
- Leea flowers are visited by a variety of potential insect pollinators, including flies, wasps, bees, butterflies, and beetles.
(12)
Botany
• Growth form: A semi-woody shrub up to 3 m tall. Foliage: Alternate, stalked, 2-4 pinnate leaves are 30-60 cm long, with many leaflets. Flowers: Flowering shoots are compact and 4-16 cm long. Flowers are bright red in color with a yellow central disc. Fruit: Fruits are subglobose berries, turning dark red or purple when ripe, 6-seeded, 7-10 mm wide. (Flora & Fauna Web)
• Leea rubra is a small shrub growing up to 3 m (9.8 ft) tall with 2-, 3- or 4-pinnate leaves. Flower buds and stems are bright red, the five petals may be cream, pink or red. Fruit is a red, purple or black berry, about 11 mm (0.43 in) diameter containing 4-6 seeds. (3)
 Distribution
- Native to the
Philippines. (1) (2)
- In dry monsoon forest, savannah and secondary vegetation, up to 500 and 1050 m.
- Also native to Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, Cambodia, Jawa, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Maluku, Myanmar, New Guinea, Northern Territory, Queensland, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Thailand, Vietnam. (1)
Constituents
- Phytochemical screening of roots, stems, and leaves extracts revealed presence of alkaloids, polyphenols, flavonoids, steroids, tannins, saponins, and glycosides. (see study below) (6)
- Study isolated two new natural products, 2-hydroxymethyl-3-methyl-cyclopent-2-enone (1) (synthetically known) and cis-2-hydroxymethyl-3-methylcyclopentanone (2), and a known compound, asterric acid (3) from the endophytic fungus mitosporic Dothideiomycete sp. LRUB20, which was isolated from the stem of Leea rubra. Compound 2 was separated from its 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone derivative (5).
(see study below) (9)
- Study of leaves isolated three triterpenes, identified as ursolic acid (1), oleanolic acid (2), and maslinic acid (3).
(11)
Properties
- Studies have suggested antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxicity, antitumor properties.
Parts used
Roots, fruits, leaves.
 Uses
Edibility
- Fruits reportedly edible. Eaten by birds and other mammals.
Folkloric
- In the Philippines, (2)
- In Peninsular Malaysia, ground root is mixed with arsenic and externally applied as poultice against yaws, while sap of the plant is drunk simultaneously. In Java, leaves are externally applied for poulticing wounds, and fruits eaten as remedy against yaws and dysentery. In Indo-china, decoction or tincture of roots is taken for stomachaches, rheumatism, and arthritis. In Thailand, roots are used as antipyretic and diaphoretic. (5)
- Used for treatment of tapeworms.
Studies
• Antioxidant / Antidiabetic / Antibacterial / Stems, Roots, Leaves: Study of evaluated the antioxidant, antibacterial, and antidiabetic properties of extracts from Leea rubra roots, stems, and leaves in vitro. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH, ABTS, NO, reducing power assays. Antidiabetic activity was assessed by α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Antibacterial activity was assessed by agar-well diffusion method against P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and E. coli. The extracts showed strong antioxidant and antidiabetic activity with IC50s ranging from 6.63 to 27.49 µg/mL and 20.31 to 41.84 µg/mL, respectively. Extracts showed significant antibacterial activity with MICs ranging from 160 to 640 µg/mL. (6)
• Antioxidative / Antitumor / Antimicrobial / Leaves: Study evaluated the protective role of ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of leaf extract against oxidative damage to DNA and human erythrocytes, and antitumor and antibacterial activities against resistant bacteria. The EAF effectively inhibited AAPH-induced oxidative damage to DNA evidenced by inhibition of transformation of supercoiled form of plasmid DNA to open circular and further linear form. EAF inhibited oxidative hemolysis caused by AAPH in human erythrocytes in a time dependent manner, and significantly reduced production of malondialdehyde (MDA), indicating inhibition of lipid peroxidation. In antitumor assay, there was 76% growth inhibition of EAC (Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma). (7)
• Antineoplastic / DNA Damage Protective / Flavone from Leaves: Study evaluated the efficacy of isolated flavones from leaves against AAPH-induced oxidative damage to pUC19 DNA by gel electro-
phoresis and antineoplastic activity on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC)-bearing Swiss albino mice. The isolated compound was identified as
4'-methoxy-3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside. The isolated flavone effectively inhibited AAPH-induced oxidative damage in DNA. It exhibited 76% growth inhibition of EAC cells in antiproliferative assay. Results suggest potential for the isolated flavone as therapeutic agent in preventing oxidative damage to DNA in associated chronic diseases and potential in cancer chemotherapy. (8)
• Mild Antimycobacterial Activity / Endophytic Fungus / Stem: Study isolated two new natural products, 2-hydroxymethyl-3-methyl-cyclopent-2-enone (1) (synthetically known) and cis-2-hydroxymethyl-3-methylcyclopentanone (2), and a known compound, asterric acid (3) from the endophytic fungus mitosporic Dothideiomycete sp. LRUB20, which was isolated from the stem of Leea rubra. Compound 2 was separated from its 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone derivative (5). Compounds 1, 3, and hydrazone 5 exhibited mild antimycobacterial activity. Compounds 1 and 3 were inactive against Vero, KB, NCI-H187 and BC cell lines. Endophytic fungi may be a source for the production of building blocks for organic syntheses. (9)
• Antioxidant / Cytotoxicity / Anticancer / Leaves: Study evaluated the polyphenolic contents, antioxidant, and anticancer potential of Leea rubra leaves. The EA fraction (EAF) exhibited maximum total antioxidant activity and iron reducing capacity and highest DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity among the fractions. Phenolic and flavonoid contents of EAF were also higher than other fractions. The EAF showed highest brine shrimp lethality with LC50 28.64 µg/ml. EAF showed significant (p<0.001) tumor growth inhibition was significant in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cell-bearing mice. (10)
Availability
- Wild-crafted.
- Seeds in the cybermarket.
|
.jpg){kind=link}