Description

A perennial herb, semi-woody at base, partly decumbent, to 60 cm high, recorded only from Dahomey, native of tropical America and widely dispersed by man in the tropics. The generic name is taken from a Brazilian vernacular (4).The plant has at some time been official in the French and Indian Pharmacopoeias. It has long been held in esteem as a medical plant, but its virtues are overrated. It has no recorded usage in the Region. In Gabon it is used as a digestive, stimulant and sudorific in infusion (3). In India it is taken in infusion in small doses as a stimulant and tonic, in larger doses as a laxative, and in a hot infusion as an emetic and sudorific (2). In the Philippines it has use as a sudorific and tonic, especially in fevers, and in several other countries also (1). A decoction of the plant and leaf-sap are said to be detergent and are used on foul ulcers. A leaf-decoction is haemostatic, and an aqueous extract of the dried leaves and shoots are a cardiac stimulant (3).The leaves yield on steam distillation an essential oil present at 1.0–1.4% concentration. The principal constituent is thymohydroquinone dimethyl ether. A sesquiterpene and coumarin are also present. A substance called ayapanin, which has haemostatic properties, has been isolated from the leaves (2).The plant is often grown in Indian gardens as an ornamental aromatic shrub.

Description

A perennial herb, semi-woody at base, partly decumbent, to 60 cm high, recorded only from Dahomey, native of tropical America and widely dispersed by man in the tropics. The generic name is taken from a Brazilian vernacular (4).The plant has at some time been official in the French and Indian Pharmacopoeias. It has long been held in esteem as a medical plant, but its virtues are overrated. It has no recorded usage in the Region. In Gabon it is used as a digestive, stimulant and sudorific in infusion (3). In India it is taken in infusion in small doses as a stimulant and tonic, in larger doses as a laxative, and in a hot infusion as an emetic and sudorific (2). In the Philippines it has use as a sudorific and tonic, especially in fevers, and in several other countries also (1). A decoction of the plant and leaf-sap are said to be detergent and are used on foul ulcers. A leaf-decoction is haemostatic, and an aqueous extract of the dried leaves and shoots are a cardiac stimulant (3).The leaves yield on steam distillation an essential oil present at 1.0–1.4% concentration. The principal constituent is thymohydroquinone dimethyl ether. A sesquiterpene and coumarin are also present. A substance called ayapanin, which has haemostatic properties, has been isolated from the leaves (2).The plant is often grown in Indian gardens as an ornamental aromatic shrub.