Vitex negundo
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Speciesbox
|name = Five-leaved chaste tree
|image = Vitex negundo leaves.jpg
|genus = Vitex
|species = negundo
|authority = L.
|synonyms=
- Vitex cannabifolia Siebold & Zucc.
- Vitex incisa Lam.
- Vitex incisa var. heterophylla Franch.
- Vitex negundo var. heterophylla (Franch.) Rehder
}}
File:Nirgundi Plant with bluish-purple flowers no watermark.jpg
File:Vitex negundo flowering inside the test tube.jpg
File:Vitex negundo NP.JPG valley in Nepal]]
Vitex negundo, commonly known as the Chinese chaste tree,{{PLANTS|id=VINE2|taxon=Vitex negundo|access-date=6 August 2015}} five-leaved chaste tree, or horseshoe vitex, or nisinda is a large aromatic shrub with quadrangular, densely whitish, tomentose branchlets. It is widely used in folk medicine, particularly in South and Southeast Asia.
Vitex negundo is an erect shrub or small tree growing from {{convert|2|to|8|m|ft|abbr=on}} in height. The bark is reddish brown. Its leaves are digitate, with five lanceolate leaflets, sometimes three. Each leaflet is around {{convert|4|to|10|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length, with the central leaflet being the largest and possessing a stalk. The leaf edges are toothed or serrated and the bottom surface is covered in hair.{{cite book|title =Vitex negundo Linn. Fact Sheet|publisher =Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture, Republic of the Philippines|url =http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/pdf/l/lagundi.pdf}}
The numerous flowers are borne in panicles {{convert|10|to|20|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length. Each is around {{convert|6|to|7|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and are white to blue in color. The petals are of different lengths, with the middle lower lobe being the longest. Both the corolla and calyx are covered in dense hairs.
The fruit is a succulent drupe, {{convert|4|mm|in|abbr=on}} in diameter, rounded to egg-shaped. It is black or purple when ripe.
Distribution and habitat
Vitex negundo is native to tropical Eastern and Southern Africa and Asia. It is widely cultivated and naturalized elsewhere.{{GRIN | name =Vitex negundo L.| id =41831 | access-date = September 7, 2011}}
Countries it is indigenous to include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Vitex negundo are commonly found near bodies of water, recently disturbed land, grasslands, and mixed open forests.
Nomenclature
Common names of Vitex negunda in different languages include:Vitex negunda in Dr. K. M. Madkarni's Indian Materia Medica; Edited by A. K. Nadkarni, Popular Prakashan, Bombay, 1976, pp: 1278-80.
{{div col}}
- Assamese: Posotiya (পচতীয়া)
- Bengali: Nirgundi; Nishinda; Samalu
- Bontok: Liñgei
- Chinese: {{lang|zh-Latn|Huáng jīng}} ({{lang|zh-Hans|黄荆}})
- English: Five-leaved chaste tree; Horseshoe vitex; Chinese chaste tree
- Filipino: Lagundî{{cite web|url=http://hrdc.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph/prosea/proseaherbal/lagundi_doc.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121221063833/http://hrdc.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph/prosea/proseaherbal/lagundi_doc.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 21, 2012|title=Vitex negundo L. - Lagundi|publisher=Prosea Herbal Techno-Catalog|access-date=September 7, 2011}}
- Gujarati: Nagoda; Shamalic
- Hindi: Mewri; Nirgundi; Nisinda; Sambhalu; Sawbhalu (निर्गुंडी)
- Ifugao: Dabtan
- Ilokano: Dangla
- Kannada: {{lang|kn-Latn|Biḷi nekki}} ({{lang|kn|ಬಿಳಿ ನೆಕ್ಕಿ}})
- Korean: {{lang|ko-Latn|jommokhyeong}} ({{lang|ko|좀목형}})
- Malayalam: Karinochi (കരിനൊച്ചി)
- Marathi: Nirgudi (निरगुडी)
- Nepali: 'सिमली' 'Simali' 'Nirgundi'
- Punjabi: Banna; Marwan; Maura; Mawa; Swanjan Torbanna
- Sanskrit: Nirgundi; Sephalika; Sindhuvara; Svetasurasa; Vrikshaha (सिन्धुवार)
- Sinhala: Nika (නික)
- Konkani: Lingad
- Tamil: Chinduvaram; Nirnochchi; Nochchi; Notchi; Vellai-nochchi (நொச்சி / கரு நொச்சி)
- Telugu: Sindhuvara; Vavili; Nalla-vavili; Tella-vavili (వావిలి / సింధువార) lekkali
{{div col end}}
Chemistry
The principal constituents of the leaf juice are casticin, isoorientin, chrysophenol D, luteolin, p–hydroxybenzoic acid and D-fructose.{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}} The main constituents of the oil are sabinene, linalool, terpinen-4-ol, β-caryophyllene, α-guaiene and globulol constituting 61.8% of the oil.{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}}
Uses
Purified extracts are believed to have medicinal properties.{{Cite journal|last1=Zheng|first1=Cheng-Jian|last2=Li|first2=Hua-Qiang|last3=Ren|first3=Shan-Cheng|last4=Xu|first4=Chuan-Liang|last5=Rahman|first5=Khalid|last6=Qin|first6=Lu-Ping|last7=Sun|first7=Ying-Hao|date=2015-01-30|title=Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile of Vitex negundo|url=|journal=Phytotherapy Research|volume=29|issue=5|pages=633–647|doi=10.1002/ptr.5303|pmid=25641408 |s2cid=10868342 |issn=0951-418X}}
Vitex negundo is used for treating stored garlic against pests. It is also listed as one of the ten herbal medicine approved by the Department of Health as a cough remedy in the Philippines, and sold under the trade names Ascof and Plemex.{{cite web |title=Directory of Herbs {{!}} PITAHC |url=https://pitahc.gov.ph/directory-of-herbs/ |website=Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care |access-date=12 September 2024}}{{cite web|url=http://pcarrd.dost.gov.ph/phil-organic/Technologies/lagundi%20against%20garlic%20pests.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715001825/http://www.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph/phil-organic/Technologies/lagundi%20against%20garlic%20pests.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2007|title=Lagundi leaves as effective control against storage pests of garlic|publisher=Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), Department of Science and Technology, Republic of the Philippines|access-date=September 7, 2011}} In Malaysia, it is used in traditional herbal medicine for women's health, including treatments for regulating the menstrual cycle, fibrocystic breast disease and post-partum remedies.{{cite book | first=W.E. | last=Wan Hassan | date=2010 | title=Ulam: Salad Herbs of Malaysia | pages=106–107 | publisher=Masbe Sdn. Bhd. | isbn=9789834466404 }}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{cite book |last=Caldecott |first=Todd |year=2006 |title=Ayurveda: The Divine Science of Life |publisher=Elsevier/Mosby |isbn=0-7234-3410-7 }} Contains a detailed monograph on Vitex negundo (Nirgundi) as well as a discussion of health benefits and usage in clinical practice. Available online at https://web.archive.org/web/20110403032108/http://www.toddcaldecott.com/index.php/herbs/learning-herbs/315-nirgundi
{{Taxonbar|from=Q14807863}}
Category:Flora of the Philippines
Category:Plants described in 1753