Leea indica
Bandicoot berry
Leea indica, commonly known as the Bandicoot Berry, is a versatile tropical shrub valued in traditional medicine. Native to Asia and Oceania, it features vibrant red berries and distinctive foliage. Its leaves and roots are frequently utilized for their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties to treat various ailments.
- Scientific name: Leea indica
- Family: Vitaceae
- Native range: Asia-Tropical
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Vitales, falling into the family Vitaceae. Ultimately, it is identified by the genus Leea.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Vitales | WCVP |
| Family | Vitaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Leea | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Leea indica, is referred to by various regional names across different languages. In Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), it is called 火筒树, while in Traditional Chinese (zh-hant) and the Cantonese dialect of Hong Kong (zh-hk), it is known as 火筒樹. In Malayalam (ml), the plant is commonly called ഞഴുക്, and in Sinhala (si), it is referred to as ගුරුල්ල.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 火筒树 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 火筒樹 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 火筒樹 | Wikidata |
| ml | ഞഴുക് | Wikidata |
| si | ගුරුල්ල | Wikidata |
| th | กะตังใบ | Wikidata |
| zh | 火筒树 | Wikidata |
| ar | ليا هندية | Wikidata |
| ta | பொலவக்கொடி | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 印度火筒樹 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across various parts of the Indian Subcontinent. Within this region, it can be found growing natively throughout the diverse landscapes of India. Its presence also extends to the tropical settings of the Laccadive Islands. Additionally, the species is well-established in the environmental conditions of Sri Lanka. These locations highlight the specific geographical range occupied by this medicinal species.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Laccadive Is. | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Sri Lanka | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as the Bandicoot Berry, utilizes its leaves for various medicinal purposes. The leaves of Leea indica are typically characterized by their serrated margins and ovate shape, often serving as the primary part used in traditional remedies. When prepared as a decoction or a paste, these leaves are frequently employed to treat skin inflammations, wounds, and even digestive ailments, demonstrating the functional importance of the foliage in the plant's therapeutic profile.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Leea indica has 13 reported phytochemicals identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include gallic acid, methyl gallate, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, Gallic acid, flavonoids.
- Total chemicals
- 13
- Scientific sources
- 16
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| gallic acid | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| methyl gallate | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Gallic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glycosides | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| phenols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| saponins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Leea indica has 10 reported activities identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Cytotoxic, Antidiabetic, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 10
- Scientific sources
- 12
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anxiolytic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CNS-Depressant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cardiovascular | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Sedative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Leea indica has 7 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, Acanthamoeba infections, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, antidiabetic, anxiety.
- Total uses
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Acanthamoeba infections | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Chronic Myeloid Leukemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anxiety | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hemorrhoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ovarian cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |