| Salacia reticulata | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Celastrales |
| Family: | Celastraceae |
| Genus: | Salacia |
| Species: | S. reticulata |
| Binomial name | |
| Salacia reticulata Wight[1] | |
Salacia reticulata is a flowering plant of the genus Salacia native to Sri Lanka and the Andaman Islands.[1] It grows in dry zone forests in Sri Lanka. In ayurvedic medicine, it is known as kothala himbutu (කොතල හිඹුටු) in Sinhala.
Description
Salacia reticulata is a climbing, perennial, woody shrub. The plant has dichotomous branching pattern. The bark is smooth, greenish grey in colour, thin, and white internally. The leaves are opposite and elliptic-oblong. The leaves have acute bases, abruptly acuminate apexes, and a margin with minute rounded teeth. The flowers are bisexual and arranged in clusters of 2-8 in the leaf axils. They are greenish-white to greenish-yellow in color. The fruit is a drupe which is globose and tubercular. The drupe assumes a pinkish-orange color on ripening. There are 1–4 seeds, each resembling an almond.
It's used as a folk medicine for treating diabetes, and several clinical trials have proven that it's effective as a treatment for type II diabetes.[2][3]
References
- 1 2 "Salacia reticulata Wight", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2022-02-13
- ↑ Kajimoto, Osami; Kawamori, Shusuke; Shimoda, Hiroshi; Kawahara, Yuzo; Hirata, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Takeo (10 October 2000). "Effects of a Diet Containing Salacia reticulata on Mild Type 2 Diabetes in Humans". Nippon Eiyo Shokuryo Gakkaishi. 53 (5): 199–205. doi:10.4327/jsnfs.53.199. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ↑ Jayawardena, M. H. S.; de Alwis, N. M. W.; Hettigoda, V.; Fernando, D. J. S. (28 February 2005). "A double blind randomised placebo controlled cross over study of a herbal preparation containing Salacia reticulata in the treatment of type 2 diabetes". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 97 (2): 215–218. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2004.10.026. PMID 15707755. Retrieved 22 December 2023.