Alstonia scholaris (Llnn.) R. Br.
Family: Apocynaceae
- Sanskrit : Saptacchada, Saptaparni
- Assamese : Chatiyan
- Bengali : Chatin, ছাতিম, Chatwan,
- Chinese: 九度叶
- English : Devil tree, Dita
- Gujrati : Saptaparna, સપ્તપર્ણી, Satvana
- Hindi : Chhativan, Satawana, Shaitan ka jat शैतान का झाड़
- Kannada : Maddale, Hale, Eleyalaga,
- Kashmiri : Kath
- Malayalam : Daivaphal, Ezilampala, ഏഴിലംപാല
- Marathi : Satveen सातविण
- Oriya : Chbatiana, Chatiana
- Punjabi : Sathi, Satanna
- Tamil : Ezilampalai, ஏழிலைப்பாலை, Mukkampalai முகும்பலை
- Telugu : Edaakula Ponna, ఏడాకుల చెట్టు
- French: arbre à lait
- Burma (Myanmar): lettok, taung meok
- China: tang jiao shu, xiang pi mu
- Indonesia: njau lutungpulai, pule, rite
- Lepcha: pur vok koong
- Malayan names: basong, geceh, kacau gitik, petai agong, pulai, pulai basong, rejang, rutih
- Nepal: chatiwan, chhatiwan, chition, palimara
- Papua New Guinea: budo, herina, hibom, jijima, kambu, kambuu, katung, puto, sipuel, watsil, zopang
- Philippines: alipauen, alipauin, andarayan, dalipaoen, dalipauen, dilupaon, dirita, dita, lipauen, tanitan
- Sarawak: gite, pelai
- Thailand: gah bo, hassaban, sattaban, tin pet
- Tibet: lo ma bdun
- Vietnam: co tin pat, may man, mo cua, m[of] cua, mua cua, sura, s[uwx]a, Hoa sữa
Ayurvedic uses: sula, Gulma, Jvara, Krimiroga, Kustha, Saandrameha (API, Volume-1)
Antimalarial, hypotensive, anthelmintic (Medicinal Plants Kerala Ag Uni)
Bark—febrifuge, antiperiodic, spasmolytic, antidysenteric, uterine stimulant, hypotensive; used for internal fevers. [Indian Medicinal Plants as Illustrated Dictionary]
Used in Ayurveda, Unani and Sidha. Indole alkaloids from the leaves, stem and bark. Molluscicidal, anthelmintic, cytotoxic, antiseptic, tonic, antibacterial, bronchodilatory, emmenagogue, antidysenteric, astringent, anticholeric and vulnerary. Raw leaf juice applied to kill head lice; roots insect repellent. Bark and leaves used to treat headache, influenza, diarrhea, dysentery, bronchitis, arthritis, fever and pneumonia; leaves and bark decoction given in dysentery. Bark bitter, febrifuge, tonic, antidote, antiperiodic, used in malaria and diarrhea, dysentery, rheumatism, snakebite, cold and bronchitis; dry powdered bark with bark of Tabernaemontana divaricata given in consumptive fever; bark paste applied for skin diseases and chest pain; bark extract with Cuscuta reflexa and bark of Rhamnus napalensis given to kill intestinal worms; bark decoction drunk to treat genital troubles in men; bark decoction with bark of Flacourtia jangomas, seeds of Luffa aegyptiaca and rootstock of Momordica cochinchinensis given in asthma; powdered stem bark with cow milk given in gonorrhea; infusion of bark and leaves of Mallotus roxburghianus with bark of Alstonia scholaris drunk for hypertension. Latex applied to ulcers, ulceration of mouth, open sores, rheumatic pains; gum taken with sugar for dysentery. Bark sap said to induce abortion; sap mixed with hot water and the suspension drunk to treat malaria; leaves chewed as an oral contraceptive. Seeds pounded with ginger and applied on painful swelling of scrotum. Ceremonial, plant very sacred, worship tree, abode of spirits, stone-gods consecrate on the bottom of the trunks; rain-making through sacrifices in the sacred forest; leafy branch held in hand at the time of religious ceremonies; the souls of forefathers supposed to take rest on this tree after the death. Veterinary medicine, crushed leaves juice applied or dropped on wounds and sores, leaves and bark decoction given in dysentery; crushed stem bark given to cure diarrhea. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]
The bark is useful in fevers, malaria fever, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, leprosy, skin diseases, foul ulcer and asthma. [Herbal Cures: Traditional Approach]
Bark: in colic pain; Some Parts of India plant is used in the treatment of leprosy; Twig: hung in the room of the newly confined woman to lessen the activities of evil spirit on the new born. Atharva Veda: preventive and curative of diseases caused by change of season. Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita: good for headache, sores, and some other diseases; Ayurveda: the following uses are recommended:
Bark: dermal sores, ragging fever, discharge of sperm with urine, hiccup, insufficiency in breast milk, gout, cold congestion, dyspepsia; 2. Latex: caries, pimple, pyorrhoea; 3. Flower: asthma, respiratory troubles. Unani: Ingredient of 'Kashim'. Homoeopathy: Malarial fever, anaemia, indigestion, general debility and other stomach ailments. Modern Use: Bark: known in commerce as Dita Bark and is used in medicine as bitter, febrifuge and astringent, in treatment of malarial fever, chronic dysentery, diarrhoea and in snake bite; Milky juice: applied to ulcers. [Horticultural, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants]
In Cambodia, the bark is used to promote menses and to treat chronic paludism with the enlargement of the spleen and liver discomfort. In Indonesia, the plant is used to stop diarrhea, treat diabetes and heal hemorrhoids. An infusion of the young leaves is drunk to treat beriberi. The leaf tips roasted with coconut are used to treat stomatitis. In Malaysia, the plant is used to treat malaria. The latex is used to assuage toothache. A decoction of the bark is drunk to combat fever, invigorate the body, stimulate appetite, and treat yaws. In Burma, the latex is used to heal ulcers. In India, the bark is used to promote milk secretion and to treat cancer. In the Philippines, the plant is used internally to combat fever, stop dysentry, heal wounds, and treat epilepsy. In Vietnam, the bark is used to treat chronic malaria with enlarged spleen, while the leaves are used to promote milk secretion. The bark of Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. has been used in Western medicine (British Pharmacopoeia,1914) as an antimalarial drug. [Medicinal Plants: Drugs For The Future? ]
Dita is used in many Asian countries as a folk remedy for malaria and fever. Reports conflict on the value of the plant as an anti-malarial, with some researchers churning that an extract from the bark does not have any effect on malaria parasites in vitro. It is possible that reports of cures for malaria were made on the basis of temporary recovery from fever since dita’s alkaloids do have a depressant action on medullary centers - tins action can bring down fever. [Philipnine Medicinal Plants in Common use: Their Phytochemistry & Pharmacology]
138 Published articles of Alstonia scholaris
