Gmelina arborea
Beechwood
Gmelina arborea, commonly known as Beechwood or Gamini, is a fast-growing deciduous tree native to South Asia. Renowned for its versatile medicinal properties, it is used in traditional Ayurveda to treat ailments ranging from digestive issues to skin disorders. Its leaves, bark, and fruit offer significant therapeutic benefits.
- Scientific name: Gmelina arborea
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Gmelina.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Lamiales | WCVP |
| Family | Lamiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Gmelina | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Gmelina arborea, is recognized by various regional names across different languages and cultures. In Portuguese, it is referred to as Gamelina, while in the Malayalam language, it is called കുമ്പിൾ. The Telugu language identifies it as గుమ్మడి టేకు, and in Kannada, it is known as ಶಿವನೆ. Additionally, in Chinese, the plant is referred to as 云南石梓.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| pt | Gamelina | Wikidata |
| ml | കുമ്പിൾ | Wikidata |
| te | గుమ్మడి టేకు | Wikidata |
| kn | ಶಿವನೆ | Wikidata |
| zh | 云南石梓 | Wikidata |
| ne | खमारी | Wikidata |
| mr | शिवण | Wikidata |
| th | ซ้อ | Wikidata |
| id | Jati putih | Wikidata |
| my | ယမနေ | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range that spans across several major tropical and subtropical regions. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in countries such as Benin, Gambia, and Guinea. Moving toward the eastern part of the continent, it is also found within the Northeast Tropical Africa region, specifically covering Sudan and South Sudan. Beyond Africa, the species extends its reach into East Asia. In this part of the world, it can be located within the South-Central regions of China.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Sudan-South Sudan | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | East Himalaya | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Nepal | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Gmelina arborea, possesses several parts that are utilized for their various therapeutic properties. The large, green leaves are frequently used in traditional medicine to treat ailments such as inflammation and skin issues, while the roots are valued for their ability to act as a tonic and aid in digestive health. The small, fragrant flowers often serve as indicators of the plant's seasonal vitality and contribute to its overall medicinal profile. The sturdy stems provide the structural integrity necessary for the tree to reach significant heights, and the thick stem bark is particularly prized for its medicinal extracts, often used to treat fever, coughs, and various internal discomforts.- Total parts
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 13
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| roots | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| flowers | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruits | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Gmelina arborea has 21 reported phytochemicals identified across 22 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include martynoside, 4,8-dihydroxysesamin, 6-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol, arboreol, balanophonin.
- Total chemicals
- 21
- Scientific sources
- 22
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| martynoside | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 4,8-dihydroxysesamin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 6-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arboreol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| balanophonin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glycyrrhizin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gmelanone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gmelinol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gummadiol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Gmelina arborea has 17 reported activities identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Anticancer, Antihypertensive, Antioxidant, Antiulcer.
- Total activities
- 17
- Scientific sources
- 17
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antihypertensive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiulcer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aphrodisiac | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Astringent | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Bitter | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cardiotonic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Digestive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Gmelina arborea has 24 reported medicinal uses identified across 26 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include fever, inflammation, SARS-CoV-2, antidiabetic, antihypertensive.
- Total uses
- 24
- Scientific sources
- 26
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| fever | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| SARS-CoV-2 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antihypertensive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colitis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| constipation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diabetes mellitus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| digestion | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| emaciation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |