Gen info
- Croton is an extensive plant genus in the spurge family. Euphorbiaceae. There are about 750 species found throughout the warmer parts of the world. The genus was described and introduced to Europeans by Georg Eberhard Rumphius.
- Etymology: The genus name Croton derives from Greek kroton, a tick, referring to the seed's resemblance to ticks. The specific epithet argyratus derives from Latin, meaning 'silvery', referring to the lower leaf surfaces and twigs.

Botany
• Growth form: A tree up to 21 m tall. Foliage: Spirally arranged, long-stalked leaves have papery leaf blades that are elliptic or egg-shaped, green above, silvery and covered with hair below, and 14-20 by 6-11 cm. Flowers: Flowers are green-white-yellow, about 4 mm across, and grow in flowering shoots that are 12-25 cm long. Fruit: Densely hairy fruits are brownish-golden, about 12-16 by 12-16 mm. Its flattened seeds are 10-11 by 7-8 mm. (Flora & Fauna Web)

• C. argyratus is a tree that can reach up to measure about 20(-27) m tall. The leaves are ovate in shape, measuring about 8-26 cm x 6-11 cm and subcordate base with 2 small and auricled lobes. The apex is acuminate and entire margin. The lower surface is densely covered with bronze scale-like hairs. The petiole is measure about 2.5-18 cm long. The inflorescence is densely scaly. The outside sepal is densely scaly. Flowers are staminate. The petals are obovate in shape, 2.5-3 mm long, hairy, with 11 stamens where the filaments are with long hairs or hairless. The disk flowers are with stellate hairs while the ovary is densely scaly. The 6-grooved fruit is spherical in shape and it is measure 1.5-2 cm in diameter. (11)

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines. (1)
- In lowland forests and edges in the more seasonal parts of the archipelago.
- Also native to Andaman Is., Borneo, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Maluku, Myanmar, Nicobar Is., Sulawesi, Sumatera, Thailand, Vietnam. (2)

Constituents
- Study of methanol extract of roots of Croton argyratus isolated styryldehydropyrone, (+)-goniothalamin and a clerodane-type diterpene, (-)-junceic acid.   (6)
- Phytochemical screening of stem bark yielded terpenoid, triterpenoid and phenolic compounds. (see study below) (7)
- Study of bark of Croton argyratus isolated seven new sesquiterpenes, croargoid A-G (1-7). (see study below) (8)
- Qualitative phytochemical screening of leaf (L), stem (S) and root (R) revealed: Flavonoids (+LSR), steroid (+LR++S), terpenoids (+++), cardiac glycosides (+LS-R ), tannins (+LS-R), reducing sugar (
(+LS-R), with absence of amino acids, anthraquinones, saponin, and alkaloids. (see study below) (9)
- Study isolated two halimane-type diterpenes, crotargyolides A and B (1,2), together with a crotofolane-type diterpene, 3-hydroxylated cotofolin C (3, crokocrotogenoid A), and the known clerodane diterpenes, junceic acid (4) and epoxyjunceic acid (5). (10)
- GC and GC-MS analysis for essential oil identified 39 components, accounting for 95.8% of total composition. Group components identified were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (47.7%), oxygenated sesquiterpenes (40.7%) monoterpene hydrocarbons (7.8%), and oxygenated monoterpenes (5.4%). Major components of leaves were ß-caryophyllene (22.8%), spathulenol (15.2%), caryophyllene oxide (12.5%), δ-cadinene (5.8%), and germacrene D (4.5%). (see study below) (13)

Properties
- Seeds of the genus yield an oil, used in herbal medicine as a violent purgative. It is currently considered unsafe and is no longer listed in the pharmacopeia of many countries. (4)
- While seeds from many species are used for purgative properties, Croton argyratus seeds are used to arrest diarrhea. (5)
- Studies have suggested antibacterial, NO inhibitory, analgesic, acetylcholinesterase inhibitory, antioxidant properties.

Parts used
Leaves, roots, bark, stems.

Uses
Edibility
- Leaves used to make a tea.
Folkloric
- No reported folkloric medicinal use in the Philippines.
- Decoction of leaves used for treatment of diarrhea, ulcers, and fever; also give after childbirth and used for medicinal baths.
- Root infusion used for treatment of thrush. Roots externally applied for treatment of ulcers.
Others
- Wood: Heavy and hard, season well; suitable for use in house construction. (x)
- Oil: Seeds yield an oil used for lamps.

Studies
• Antibacterial / Stem Bark: Study of evaluated the antibacterial activity of C. argyratus stem bark extract against four bacteria using agar well diffusion method. Methanol and acetone extracts exhibited antibacterial activity. The ME showed activity against B. subtilis and S. aureus, the acetone extract against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. (see constituents above) (7)
• Croargoids / NO Inhibitory Activity / Bark: Study of bark of Croton argyratus isolated seven new sesquiterpenes, croargoid A-G (1-7). Compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicities and NO inhibition. Only compound 5 showed moderate NO inhibitory activity. (8)
• Antioxidant / Analgesic / Leaves, Stems, Roots: Study evaluated the antioxidant and analgesic activities of ethanolic extracts of leaves, stem, and root of Croton argyratus. Leaf extract showed highest antioxidant activity based of DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and total antioxidant capacity, and also showed highest total phenolic and total flavonoid content. The extract also showed significant activity in late phase of formalin induced pain test at 200 mg/kg p.o. There was no significant effect on hot plate and tail flick. Results showed potential as natural source of antioxidant and for peripheral analgesic effect. (see constituents above) (9)
• Antiplasmodial / Cytotoxicity / Leaves: In a study of seven Malaysian medicinal plants for antiplasmodial activities in vitro, Croton argyratus leaves extract showed very good activity against P. falciparum with percentage inhibition of more than 60% to parasite growth at the tested concentration (0.03 µg/ml). On cytotoxicity testing to MDBK (Madin-Darby bovine kidney) cells, extract showed IC50 pf 14/66. (12)
• AChE Inhibitory Activity / Essential Oil of Leaves: GC and GC-MS analysis of leaves for essential oil identified 39 components, accounting for 95.8% of total composition. The essential oil showed indicated moderate AChE (1%: 70.2%) and inhibitory activity at 1,000 mg/mL concentration compared to galantamine with 05.9% inhibition. (see constituents above) (13)

Availability
- Wild-crafted.

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Euphorbiaceae: Croton argyratus / Co's Digital Flora of the Philippines
(2)
Croton argyratus / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(3)
Croton argyratus / National Parks: FLORA & FAUNA WEB
(4)
Croton / Wikipedia
(5)
Croton / PROSEA
(6)
STYRYLDEHYDROPYRONE AND CLERODANE-TYPE DITERPENE FROM CROTON ARGYRATUS / Norizan Ahmat AH, Ikram M Said, Jalifah Latip et al / The Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, 2007; Vol 11, No 1: pp 189-192 189
(7)
Antibacterial Activity from Croton argyratus Stem Bark Extract / Vienna Saraswaty, Henry Setiyanto, J Nurhajati / International Journal of PharmTech Research, 2012; 4(1): pp 190-193
(8)
Croargoids A-G, Eudesmane Sesquiterpenes from the Bark of Croton argyratus / Min Wu, Kai-Long Ji, Peng Sun, Jian-Mei Lu, Jia-Rui Yue, Dong-Hua Cao, Chun-Fen Xiao, You-Kai Xu / Molecules, 2022; 27(19):6397 / DOI: 10.3390/mmolecules27196397
(9)
Phytochemical screening, antioxidant and analgesic activities of Croton argyratus ethanolic extracts / Nadia Izyan Mohd Ali, Annegowda HV, Sharif Mahsufi Mansor et al / Journal of Medicinal plants Research, 2012; 6(21): pp 3724-3731 / DOI: 10.5897/JMPR11.743 / ISSN: 1996-0875
(10)
Two New Halimanes with a γ-Lactone from Croton argyratus / Kanami Watanabe, Yohei Saito, Shuichi Fukuyoshi, Kyoko Nakagawa-Goto et al / Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo), 2025; 75(3): pp 162-167 /
DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c24-00734.
(11)
Croton argyratus Blume / GLOBinMED
(12)
Antiplasmodial properties of some Malaysian medicinal plants / Noor Rain, Khozirah S, Mohd Ridzuan et al / Tropical Biomedicine, 2007; 24(1): pp 29-35
(13)
Chemical composition of the essential oil of Croton argyratus / Wan Mohd Nuzul Hakimi Wan Salleh, Mohd Azlan Nafiah, Shamsul Khamis, Muhammad Haffiz Jauri / Chemistry of Natural Compounds, 2022; 58(3): pp 470-471 / DOI: 10.1007/s10600-022-03736-4

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