Fragrant Premna Tree

Premna odorata Blanco

Other Names : Premna odorata Blanco, Alagaw, Adgaw, Abgaw, Argau, Abgan, Premna tomentosa Willd., Premna benthamiana Domin, Premna obtusifolia var.
The Fragrant Premna is a small tree or shrub which can flower at 3 or 4 metres high, but which can grow to heights of 8 metres. It is a member of the mint or Lamiaceae family, or the Verbenaceae family. This being so it is related to marjoram, basil, Holy basil, oregano, savory, thyme, lavender, lemon balm, bugle, motherwort, self-heal, wall germander, cat nip, the Chaste tree, ground ivy, Jupiter’s sage and hyssop and a whole host of other plants. As one of the verbenas it is allied with vervain (Verbena officinalis) and lemon verbena.
see also : Pito-Pito Tea

Properties and Actions

• Sudorific, pectoral, carminative.
• Studies have shown antimicrobial, cardiotonic, anticoagulant, hepatoprotective, antitubercular, antitumor properties.

Health Benefits and uses of Fragrant Premna Tree are

• A decoction of the leaves mixed with sugar or honey and lemon juice is drunk for coughs. In the Philippines, sugared decoction of leaves with a little "calamansi" as tea helps loosen up phlegm and effective for coughs.
• A decoction of the fresh leaves is used for vaginal irritation.
• The fresh leaves, applied over the bladder area promote urination it is believed.
• An infusion of these is given for flatulence
• when children have tympanites (a swollen abdomen due to gas or air in the abdomen or the peritoneal cavities) the leaves are mixed with coconut or sesame oil and this lotion is applied to the swollen area.
• A decoction of the leaves and flowers is given to remedy fever, stomach pains and dysentery
• A decoction of the roots, leaves, flowers and fruit is given for chest complaints such as coughs and bronchitis.
• When the leaves are boiled in water, the liquid is used to bathe babies, and the boiled leaves are also applied externally for beriberi which is a deficiency of thiamin (vitamin B1).
• A decoction of the young shoots kills parasites too, and it is believed that if you chew the root and then swallow the resulting saliva, this is good for heart problems.
• Clinical trials have shown that extracts from the plant have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties
• Collagen Network / Acetoside: Study of methanol extract of leaves of Premna odorata exhibited a promotion of collagen network formation by M cells and isolated acetoside, an phenylethanoid with a variety of biological activities. Acetoside may contribute to wound healing.
• Extract of leaves for cleaning wounds and for ticks and fleas.
• Anti-Viral Activity: Study of 61 medicinal plants in Malaysia showed P odorata was 1 of 11 plants to show selective activity against vesicular stomatitis (VSV) viruses.
• In-vitro Photo-Cytotoxic Activity: A study of 155 extracts from 93 species of plants in Malaysia screened for in vitro photo-cytotoxic activity using a human leukemia cell line, P odorata was one of 29 plants that was able to reduce in vitro cell viability by more than 50% when exposed to broad spectrum light.
• Hepatoprotective / Cytotoxic Activity: Study showed the alcoholic extract with significant hepatoprotective activity evidenced by decrease of serum enzymes, bilirubin and lipid peroxidation, comparable to drug silymarin. It also exhibited significant in-vitro cytotoxic activity. Results showed the alcoholic extract not only as an effective hepatoprotective agent, but with also significant antitumor activity.
• Antiparasitic Activity: In a study of 18 medicinal plants in New Caledonia evaluated in vitro against several parasites, Scaevola balansae and Premna serratifolia were the most active against Leishmania donovani.
• E. Coli Inhibitory Activity: Various extracts were tested against E. Coli. A 100% ethanol bark extract showed activity against E. coli, while aqueous extract concentrations were inactive against E. coli. However, the inhibitory activity could not compete with ciprofloxacin.
• Diosmetin / Acacetin: Study of leaves isolated diosmetin and acacetin. Diometin has been commercially available as the glycoside diosmin, used as a vasotonic agent for the treatment of varicose veins, hemorrhoids and other venous diseases.
• Flavones / Antimicrobial / Anti-Inflammatory / Chemopreventive: Partitioning and fractionation of crude ethanolic extract of leaves yielded two amorphous powders identified as flavone aglycones — acacetin and the non-widespread diosmetin. Earlier studies reported antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive activities.
• Anti-Cancer Activity / Leaves: Study reports the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using an ethanolic leaf powder extract of Premna serratifolia L. and its anticancer activity in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver cancer in Swiss albino mice. The silver NP were effective in treating liver cancer in mice when compared with P. serratifolia leaf extract with isoleucine.
• Antitubercular Constituents : Leaves: Study evaluated the antitubercular property of crude extract and sub-extracts of leaves and isolated the bioactive principles from active fractions. Crude methanolic extract and sub-extracts showed poor inhibitory activity against MTb H37Rv. However, increased inhibitory potency was seen from fractions eluted from the DCM extract. "Kochoi," a local patent preparation, is claimed to benefit tuberculosis.
• Cytotoxicity Against Selected Human Cancer Cell Lines: Study evaluated the cytotoxic activities of P. odorata leaves and bark, A. camansi and G. sepium against selected human cancer cell lines. Results showed the leaves and bark hexane fractions of P. odorata and A. camansi leaves to be highly cytotoxic against the cancer cell lines. The PO bark hexane extract showed highest selectivity index for HCT116, MCF-7 and A549 cancer cell lines.
• Antibacterial / Leaves: Study evaluated the antibacterial activity of leaves extract against selected human pathogens viz. Bacillus subtilis, E. coli, S. aureus. Results showed antibacterial activity with dose dependent inhibition.
• Young leaves used in the cooking of "paksiw" and "bopis."

References

• A Collagen Network Formation Effector from Leaves of Premna subscandens / September 1999 / Hirokazu SUDO, Kaori KIJIMA et al / Chem. Pharm. Bull. 47(9) 1341—1343 (1999)
• Antiviral and Cytotoxic Activities of Som.e Plants Used in Malaysian Indigenous Medicine / Ali, Abdul Manaf and Mackeen et al / Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci., 19 (2/3). pp. 129-136.
• Systematic analysis of in vitro photo-cytotoxic activity in extracts from terrestrial plants in Peninsula Malaysia for photodynamic therapy / Cheng Yi Ong et al / Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology • Volume 96, Issue 3, 4 September 2009, Pages 216-222 / doi:10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2009.06.009
• Evaluation of Hepatoprotective and In-vitro Cytotoxic Activity of Leaves of Premna serratifolia Linn / R Vadivu et al / J. Sci. Res. 1 (1), 145-152 (2009)
• Antiparasitic activity of some New Caledonian medicinal plants / Julie Desrivot et al / Journal of Ethnopharmacology • Volume 112, Issue 1, 30 May 2007, Pages 7-12 / doi:10.1016/j.jep.2007.01.02
• Two iridoid glycoside caffeoyl esters from Premna odorata / Hideaki Otsuka, Naoko Kubo, Kazuo Yamasaki, William G. Padolina / Phytochemistry, Volume 28, Issue 2, 1989, Pages 513–515
• Inhibitory Effect of Alagaw (Premna Odorata) Bark Aqueous and Ethanol Extracts Against Escherichia coli In - Vitro / FAITH L. MALECDAN DAN JOHNSON E. MALIONES HESTER ORVEN K. MAYAPIT AISAREL JOY A. MENDOZA GEORGE D. MARRERO /
• Isolation and characterization of antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive flavones from Premna odorata Blanco / Lunesa C. Pinzon, Mylene M. Uy, Kung Hong Sze, Mingfu Wang and Ivan Keung Chu / Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 5(13), pp. 2729-2735, 4 July, 2011
• 10-O-acylated iridoid glucosides from leaves of Premna subscandens / Hirokazu Sudo, Toshinori Ide et al / Phytochemistry, Volume 46, Issue 7, December 1997, Pages 1231–1236
• Premnaodorosides A, B and C, iridoid glucoside diesters of an acyclic monoterpenediol from leaves of Premna odorata / Hideaki Otsuka, Naozumi Kashima, Tomoki Hayashi, Naoko Kubo, Kazuo Yamasaki, William G. Padolina / Phytochemistry, Volume 31, Issue 9, September 1992, Pages 3129–3133
• Ethno-Veterinary Practices for Control of Ectoparasites / Jan 07, 2014 / Copyright © SAPPLPP 2013
• Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles from Premna serratifolia L.leaf and its anticancer activity in CCl4 -induced hepato-cancerousSwiss albino mice / JJ. Arockia John Paul•, B. Karunai Selvi•, N. Karmegam / Appl Nanosci / DOI 10.1007/s13204-014-0397-z
• Premna odorata / Synonyms / The Plant List
• Antitubercular constituents from Premna odorata Blanco. / Lirio SB, Macabeo AP, Paragas EM, Knorn M, Kohls P, Franzblau SG, Wang Y, Aguinaldo MA / J Ethnopharmacol. 2014 Jun 11;154(2):471-4 / doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.04.015. Epub 2014 Apr 23.
• Cytotoxic activity of crude extracts and fractions from Premna odorata (Blanco), Artocarpus camansi (Blanco) and Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) against selected human cancer cell lines / Ourlad Alzeus G. Tantengco, Sonia D. Jacinto / Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, Volume 5, Issue 12, December 2015, Pages 1037–1041
• ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF Premna odorata Blanco (ALAGAW) LEAF EXTRACT ON Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, AND Staphylococcus aureus / ANGELITA B. PANGILINAN / Philippine Science High School Central Luzon Campus / MARCH 2013