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Premna foetida

Reinw.

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(c) 106611639464075912591, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by 106611639464075912591

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Cheongweei Gan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

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Description

A large tropical shrub found at low altitudes in the tropics, belonging to the Lamiaceae family.

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Edible Uses

In Vietnam, the aromatic leaves of P. serratifolia are used to cook in some braise or stir fry dishes with chicken, eels or frogs.

Traditional Uses

The young leaves are eaten and used in chutneys.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The plant is extensively used in Indian traditional medicine. Studies on the root wood of P. serratifolia led to the isolation of acteoside, a glucoside derivative. The root bark of the plant which showed biological activities have also shown to contain a potent cytotoxic and antioxidant diterpene, 11,12,16-trihydroxy-2-oxo-5-methyl-10-demethyl-abieta-1,6, 8,11,13-pentene.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows at low altitudes in the tropics.

Where It Grows

Asia, Malaysia, SE Asia, Singapore,

Notes

Also put in the family Verbenaceae.

Also Known As

Buas-buas, Ambong-ambong laut, Pokok buru hantu

References (2)

  • Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 2 (I-Z) p 1838
  • Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 224

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