A review on phytochemical and pharmacological potentials of Antidesma bunius

Antidesma bunius is a genus of about 150 species distributed in Asia, Africa, Australia and Islands of pacific.1 Antidesma bunius (FamilyEuphorbiaceae), also known as bignai in the Philippines; buni or berunai in Malaya (India); wooni or hooni, in Indonesia; ma mao luang in Thailand; kho lien tu in Laos; choi moi in Vietnam; moi-kin and chunka by the aborigines in Queensland. The English names are Chinese laurel, currant tree, nigger’s cord, and salamander tree which is a native of India and other countries like Nepal, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Antidesma bunius has various synonyms like Stilago bunius L., Antidesma rumphii Tulasne, Antidesma dallachyanum Baillon. Antidesma bunius has various common names bignay, Chinese laurel, blackcurrant tree, salamander tree, antidesme, antidesma da China, cardoeira, buni, wuni, huni, bunch, paginga, isip, kho liên tu, baa mao ruesee, mamao dong, mao chaang, chiòi mòi.2 The Antidesma bunius is common medicinal plants in many dipterocarp forests in Thailand and widespread in the Philippines.3 There claims that the plant is common in the wild from the lower Himalayas in India, Ceylon and Southeast Asia and northern Australia. The plant is also grown in Indonesia, and cultivated in Malaya.2 The fresh fruit wine has considerably antioxidant properties.4 Wine has considerably been associated with chemo protection and cardio protection than other alcoholic beverage,5 it was hypothesized that some phenolic compounds in red wine which such as polyphenols, flavonoids and anthrocyanins play an important role in the prevention of coronary heart diseases.4 On the other hand, A. bunius contains lactic acid, acetic acid, caffeic acid and ascorbic acid have also shown a positive effect on type 2 diabetes.3,6 Roots and leaves extract have antihelminthic property and also used in the treatment of indigestion cough and stomach ache. The seeds are commonly employed as antihelminthic and said to be effective against round worms and threadworms. The barks extracts are used as antitoxins which are used in tribal areas as human herbal medication. They are also given in coughs, flatulence, intestinal colic. It is also used as pesticide. Antidesma bunius is traditionally used as sudorific and in the treatment of snakebite; decoction is used to promote perspiration in febrile condition; fruit juice of the plant is useful in the treatment of insomnia.2