(Rubiaceae) Chassalia curviflora (Wall.) Thw.

Local name(s): (pong kheo; kee min poum)

Medicinal use(s): Used as a tonic for woman giving birth.

Part(s) used: whole plants

Field Characters: Shrub 2-3 m tall. Flowers with white corolla tube and lobes, with a light yellow ring on the throat inside. Fruits globular, profuse, green (DDS 15032). 

Locality: Bolikhamsai Province, Paksan district, Somsavath Village, Medicinal Plant Preserve, at 20 km from Paksan city center.

Habitat: Secondary forest. Remnants of broadleaved evergreen, lowland tropical rain forest, in regeneration from past conversion process.

Altitude: 190 m asl 

Collector(s): D.D. Soejarto & O. Souliya

Collection number(s): DDS 15008; 15032

Collection Date: May 30, 2014; May 24, 2014

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Local name(s):  ກົກກ້ານກໍ່າ, ປ້ອງຂຽວ (Kok kane kam, Pong khieo)

Medicinal use(s): treat bleeding coughs

Part(s) used: Root, stem

Field Characters: Shrub 2 m tall, fruits black, glossy, pedicel and peduncle pink. 

Locality: Oudomxay, Muang Xay District, Donxay Village, Medicinal Biodiversity Preserve, about 3 km south of city.

GPS reading: 20o 40.032’ N; 102o 00.133’ E.

Habitat: Broadleaved, mixed evergreen lowland tropical rainforest on a mountain slope. 

Altitude: 730 m asl. 

Collector(s): D.D. Soejarto, K. Sydara, M. Xayvue 

Collection number(s): DDS 15070

Collection Date: September 25, 2014

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Local name(s): (Pong kheo)

Medicinal use(s): treat bloody coughs

Part(s) used: stem

Field Characters: Treelet 3 m tall, fruits black, glossy, pedicel and peduncle pink.

Locality: Oudomxay, Muang Xay District, Donxay Village, Medicinal Biodiversity Preserve, about 3 km south of city.

GPS reading: At vicinity of 20o 39.858’ N; 102o 00.033’ E.

Habitat: Forest at bottom of slope in a broadleaved, mixed evergreen lowland tropical rainforest on a mountain slope.

 Altitude: 740 m asl. 

Collector(s): D.D. Soejarto, K. Sydara, M. Xayvue 

Collection number(s): DDS 15133

Collection Date: September 27, 2014

Additional information:  

Synonyms, images, taxonomic description: 

Useful references:

Gopal R, Anuja G, Latha P, et al. Anti-hepatotoxic property of roots and leaves of Chassalia curviflora (Wall.) Thwaites against CCl4 induced liver damage in rats. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research 2016, vol. 8, no. 5, pp. 269-74, https://doi.org/10.25004/IJPSDR.2016.080506 https://ijpsdronline.com/index.php/journal/article/view/574

Greeshma KC, Kumar NM, Krishna JG, et al. Preliminary pharmacognostical and phytochemical analysis of Chassalia curviflora (wall.) Thwaites roots. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2018, 7(6): 1043-1048. www.phytojournal.com https://www.phytojournal.com/archives/2018/vol7issue6/PartR/7-5-637-909.pdf

Greeshma KC, Kumar NM, DravyagunaVijnana D, et al. Hepatoprotective activity of Chassalia curviflora (Wall.) Thwaites roots against paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in rats.  International Ayurvedic Medical Journal 2023. Published Online. https://doi.org/10.46607/iamj0611042023  

 Rajeswari GG, Lakshmi S et al. Antiproliferative effects of total alkaloid extract of roots of Chassalia curviflora (Wall.) Thwaites on cancer cell lines. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 2020, Vol. 58, June 2020, pp. 389-395. DOI:10.56042/ijeb.v58i06.65501