Melochia corchorifolia, Chocolate Weed, Bon-pat, noji-aoi, bankalanan, Punnakkukkirai, Ganugapindikura

Melochia corchorifolia L.
Family: Malvaceae

Synonyms: Geruma subtriloba Blanco, Hibiscus donii Walp., Hibiscus endlicheri Walp., Lochemia corchorifolia Arn., Melochia affinis Wall., Melochia burmanni Zoll. & Moritzi, Melochia concatenata L., Melochia erecta Burm. f., Melochia longibracteolata Arènes, Melochia pauciflora Wall., Melochia supina L., Melochia truncata Willd., Mougeotia corchorifolia (L.) Kunth, Polychlaena ramosa G. Don, Polychlaena simplex G. Don, Riedlea capitata Bojer, Riedlea concatenata (L.) DC., Riedlea corchorifolia (L.) DC., Riedlea radiata Blume, Riedlea supina (L.) DC., Riedlea truncata (Willd.) DC., Sida cuneifolia Roxb., Visenia concatenata (L.) Spreng., Visenia corchorifolia (L.) Spreng., Visenia supina (L.) Spreng.

• Common name: Chocolate Weed, Wire bush, Redweed
• Bengali: Bon-pat, Tikiokra
• Chinese: 野路蔡, 马松子
• Gambia: tumarraturo
• Hindi: Tikiokra, Bilpat, चित्रबीज chitrabee
• Indonesia: gendiran, jaring, orang-aring
• Japan: noji-aoi
• Kannada: Bettadatutti mara
• lemak ketam, limah ketam, pulut-pulut
• Malayalam: Ketam, ചെറു ഊരം
• Marathi: लहान मेथुरी Lahan methuri
• Oriya: Dasokerotan
• Philippines: bankalanan, kalingan
• Senegal: ghud a mbèl, pag hu gor, ntogoyo, tias a mbèl
• Sierra Leone: ndopa-yenge, ngingili, suri
• Sri Lanka: gal kura
• Tamil: பிண்ணாக்குக்கீரை Punnakkukkirai
• Tanzania: pombo
• Telugu: Ganugapindikura
• Thailand: khaang paak put, sa aeng bai mon, seng lek
• Vietanamese: Trứng cua lá bố

Description: Erect branched herbs. Young stem, petioles, bracts and calyx lobes stellate hairy mixed with simple hairs. Leaves varying in size and shape, 2 - 5 x 1 - 2.5 cm, ovate- oblong, cordate or attenuate at base, margin serrate, acute at apex, sparsely hairy on nerves on both sides; petioles to 1 cm long. Flowers in terminal, capitate cymes. Bracts 2-3 mm long, linear-lanceolate, ciliate on margins. Calyx 5-lobed, campanulate, 2-3 mm long; lobes lanceolate, ciliate, Corolla pink, 5, 2-4 mm, obovate, obtuse or retuse at apex. Stamens 5, filaments united at base. Ovary c. 1 mm long, ovoid, 5-celled; ovules 2 in each cells; styles 5. Capsule 3-4 mm, sub - globose, 5- valved. Seeds angular or plano-convex, dark brown or greyish.

Used  in  Sidha/Siddha.  Root  powder  given  with  water  in  snakebite. A decoction of leaves and roots given in cases of  dysentery; leaves and roots used for poulticing in cases of  smallpox.  Leaves  for  swellings  and  sores  of  the  abdomen;  stem and leaves, boiled in oil, applied as a relief from the  bites  of  water  snakes.  Plant  decoction  a  remedy  against  snakebites. Sap applied as an antidote to wounds caused by  arrows poisoned with Antiaris toxicaria. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]

Leaf and root—antidysenteric. Leaf—applied as poultice for swellings of abdomen and sores. [Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary]

18 Published articles of Melochia corchorifolia
1.    Hepatoprotective and antioxidant capacity of Melochia corchorifolia extracts Rao, B.G., Y.V. Rao, and T.M. Rao, Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 2013. 6(7): p. 537-543.
2.    Preliminary phytochemical screening and in-vitro free radical scavenging activity of Melochia corchorifolia plant extracts Palaksha, M.N., K. Ravishankar, and V.G. Sastry, International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Chemistry, 2013. 3(2): p. 378-383.
3.    Anti-bacterial activity of different extracts of Melochia corchorifolia and Spilanthes acmella aerial parts Rao, B.G., Y.V. Rao, and T.M. Rao, Journal of Pharmacy Research, 2012. 5(6): p. 3022-3024.
4.    Efficacy of Melochia corchorifolia L. (Sterculiaceae) on feeding behavior of four lepidopteran pests Manickam, P., B. Kathirvelu, and I. Savarimuthu, International Journal of Agricultural Research, 2012. 7(2): p. 58-68.
5.    Antifungal flavonoids of Melochia corchorifolia Tripathi, R.C., et al., Journal of the Indian Chemical Society, 2010. 87(4): p. 511-512.
6.    Isolation and Identification of Taxol, a.A.D.f.P.m.Y., an Endophytic Fungus of Melochia corchorifolia L Kumaran, Rangarajulu Senthil, J. Muthumary, and B.-K. Hur, Food Science and Biotechnology, 2008. 17(6): p. 1246-1253.
7.    Nutritional content of Melochia corchorifolia (Linn.) leaves Umar, K.J., et al., International Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2007. 1(4): p. 250-255.
8.    Biological activity of Hyptis suaveolens Poit (Lamiaceae) and Melochia chorcorifolia L. (Sterculiaceae) on cowpea weevil, C.m.F.C.B.J., M., et al., Journal of Entomological Research (New Delhi), 2005. 29(4): p. 265-269.
9.    MELOCHICORINE, A.P.A.F.M.-C.B., R. S., Y.N. Shukla, and R.S. Thakur, Phytochemistry, 1991. 30(9): p. 3159-3160.
10.    CYCLOPEPTIDE ALKALOIDS FROM MELOCHIA-CORCHORIFOLIA Bhakuni, R.S., Y.N. Shukla, and R.S. Thakur, Phytochemistry, 1987. 26(1): p. 324-325.
11.    CHEMICAL-CONSTITUENTS OF MELOCHIA-CORCHORIFOLIA LINN Bhakuni, R.S., Y.N. Shukla, and R.S. Thakur, Indian Journal of Chemistry Section B-Organic Chemistry Including Medicinal Chemistry, 1987. 26(12): p. 1161-1164.
12.    6-METHOXY-3-PROPENYL-2-PYRIDINE CARBOXYLIC-ACID - A NEW PYRIDINE ALKALOID FROM MELOCHIA CORCHORIFOLIA Bhakuni, R.S., Y.N. Shukla, and R.S. Thakur, Chemistry & Industry, 1986(13): p. 464-464.
13.    REDWEED (MELOCHIA-CORCHORIFOLIA) GERMINATION AS INFLUENCED BY SCARIFICATION, T., AND SEEDING DEPTH Eastin, E. F., Weed Science, 1983. 31(2): p. 229-231.
14.    Melocorin - a new herbacetin glucuronide from Melochia corchorifolia Nair, A.G.R., et al., Indian Journal of Chemistry, B, 1977. 15(11): p. 1045-1045.
15.    MELOCORIN - NEW HERBACETIN GLUCURONIDE FROM MELOCHIA-CORCHORIFOLIA Nair, A.G.R., et al., Indian Journal of Chemistry Section B-Organic Chemistry Including Medicinal Chemistry, 1977. 15(11): p. 1045-1045.
16.    MELOCORIN A NEW HERBACETIN GLUCURONIDE FROM MELOCHIA-CORCHORIFOLIA Nair, A.G.R., P. Ramesh, and S.S. Subramanian, Indian Journal of Chemistry Section B Organic Chemistry Including Medicinal Chemistry, 1977. 15(11): p. 1045-1045.
17.    STERCULIACEAE ALKALOIDS .I. PEPTIDE ALKALOIDS FROM MELOCHIA CORCHORIFOLIA Tschesch.R and I. Reutel, Tetrahedron Letters, 1968(35): p. 3817-&.
18.    Contributions to the embryology of Sterculiaceae. III. Melochia corchorifolia L Rao C, V., Jour Indian Bot Soc, 1951. 30: p. 122-131.