(Apocynaceae) Gongronema napalense (Wall.) Decne.

Local name(s): 

Medicinal use(s): to treat polio.

Part(s) used: the vine (whole plant).

Field Characters: Vine with simple, opposite, thin, cordate leaves. Thin, green fruits, longer than a finger length.

Locality: Champasak Province, Phon Thong District, Du Village.

Habitat: 

Altitude: 107 m asl. 

Collector(s): A. Libman, O. Souliya, B. Vanavong

Collection number(s): LAOS_541

Collection Date: August 6, 2003

Additional information:  

Voucher specimen is in deposit at the Field Museum (F) Herbarium, Chicago, USA, under accession no. 2252471.

Project:  ICBG

Synonyms, images, taxonomic description: 


Plants of the World OnlineFlora of China Vol. 16 Page 240GBIF | Global Biodiversity Information Facility

Medicinal properties:



Adebayo JO, Ceravolo IP, Gyebi GA, et al. Iloneoside, an antimalarial pregnane glycoside isolated from Gongronema latifolium leaf, potentiates the activity of chloroquine against multidrug resistant Plasmodium falciparum. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology 2022, volume 249, 111474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molbiopara.2022.111474.

Amrelia MAK. Nutritive and medicinal value of Gongronema latifolium. Journal of Natural Products Discovery 2022, vol. 1, no. 2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24377/jnpd.article751

Ayodeji AO, Victor U, Emmanuel OO. Pharmacological activities of (Gongronema latifolium, Vernonia amygdalina and Vitex doniana): A review. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2020; 9(4): 1822-1828. https://www.phytojournal.com/archives/2020/vol9issue4/PartY/9-4-167-187.pdf

Libman A, Zhang H, Ma C, et al. A first new antimalarial pregnane glycoside from Gongronema napalense. Asian J Tradit Med 2008,3(6):203-210. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC364442
Onwudiwe TC, Azudialu BC, Obi IM, et al. Evaluation of anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of a folklore medicinal plant (Gongronema latifolium) in rodent models. The Journal of Phytopharmacology 2025, 14(4):208-214. https://phytopharmajournal.com/assets/pdf_files/Vol14_Issue4_01.pdf Ren Y, Elkington BG, Henkin JM, et al. Bioactive small-molecule constituents of Lao plants. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research 2021, 15, no. 12:540-559. https://doi.org/10.5897/JMPR2021.7137