Herb's Introduction
Premna tomentosa Willd. is a species of tree belonging to the family Lamiaceae (previously Verbenaceae). It is a moderate-sized deciduous tree that holds significant value in traditional medicine, particularly in India, where it is used in systems like Siddha and Ayurveda (where it is often referred to as a type of Agnimanth, which is a broader term for several Premna species). The plant is notable for its use in treating various ailments, including liver disorders, stomach issues, and skin conditions. The tree can reach up to 15 meters in height and is characterized by the dense, soft, hair-like covering on its young parts and leaves, which gives it its specific epithet, tomentosa (meaning "densely covered with short, soft, matted hairs" or "tomentum").
Name in Different Countries
Premna tomentosa is known by various common names across different regions and languages, primarily in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Language / Region Name English Bastard Teak, Wooly leaved Fire Brand Teak Sanskrit Agnimanth Kannada Ije, Naruvalu, Eegi Irula Peethaimaram Malayalam Pincha, Kozhukkattathekku, Naithekku Marathi Chambara Oriya Moria Tamil Pidangu Naari, Kolakattai thekku, Purangai Naari, Malai Thekku Telugu Nagaru, Naagooru Export to Sheets
Terminology
The scientific classification and botanical terms for Premna tomentosa are: Family: Lamiaceae (Mint family, formerly classified under Verbenaceae). Botanical Name: Premna tomentosa Willd. Synonyms: Premna cordata Blanco, Premna flavescens Juss., Premna latifolia Thwaites, Premna tomentosa f. jejuna Moldenke. The existence of synonyms indicates historical reclassification or regional variations that were once considered separate species. Key Descriptive Terms: Deciduous: Shedding its leaves annually. Tomentose: Densely covered with soft, matted, short hairs, particularly noticeable on the young parts and leaves, giving the plant a velvety feel. Estipulate: Lacking stipules (small leaf-like appendages at the base of the leaf stalk). Drupe: A fleshy fruit with a central stony pit containing the seed (e.g., a cherry), referring to the small, ovoid, black fruit of the plant.
Availability
Premna tomentosa is widely distributed in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, the Philippines, and East Timor. Habitat: It is typically found in open and deciduous forests, often growing in secondary growth areas, dry and upper mixed forests, and sometimes on roadsides or stream banks, at elevations generally up to 800 to 1,500 meters. Conservation Status: The plant has a very wide distribution and a large population, and is generally classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. However, in some localized regions, such as parts of Tamil Nadu, India, its distribution is reported to be scarce, and it is considered to be moving towards extinction locally due to high medicinal and economic value demand.
External Look
Premna tomentosa is a tree with distinct morphological features: Height: Typically grows up to 15 meters high, occasionally reaching 20 meters. Bark: Greyish-brown and smooth. The trunk is often crooked and fluted at the base. Young Parts: Densely covered with stellate tomentum (star-shaped hairs). Leaves: Simple, opposite, and borne on long, slender, tomentose petioles (leaf stalks) of 20-50 mm. The leaf blade is large (6−25×5−15 cm), broadly ovate, with an obtuse or cordate (heart-shaped) base and an acuminate (tapering to a point) apex. They are densely covered with tawny yellow stellate tomentum (tawny yellow star-shaped hairs), especially on the underside, giving a characteristic yellowish and velvety appearance. The underside of the leaf is reputed to have an unpleasant odour when crushed, which is the basis for the Tamil name 'Pidangu Naari' (Purangai Naari means 'foetid/smelling back of the palm'). Flowers: Small, bisexual, and yellow in color. They are arranged in terminal and axillary corymbs (flat-topped or convex flower clusters). Fruit: A small, ovoid drupe, about 5−6 mm long, which turns black when mature and is hairy. It contains four seeds.
Healing Properties
Premna tomentosa possesses a wide array of traditional and scientifically investigated healing properties, primarily attributed to the presence of various phytochemicals such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and terpenoids. Hepatoprotective (Liver-protective): Widely used in Ayurvedic and traditional medicine for liver disorders and has been shown in studies to exhibit hepatoprotective action, particularly against induced liver damage (e.g., from acetaminophen), partly by correcting oxidative stress and enhancing the liver's antioxidant defense system. Anti-inflammatory: Traditional use for inflammation, and studies have supported its anti-inflammatory activity. Diuretic: The leaves are reputed to have diuretic properties, promoting increased urine production. Antimicrobial: Extracts have demonstrated significant antimicrobial effects against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, suggesting potential for treating infections. Antioxidant: Exhibits significant antioxidant activity, helping to counteract oxidative stress in the body. Antihyperglycemic/Antidiabetic: Studies suggest a potential for antidiabetic activity, helping to reduce elevated blood glucose levels and positively affecting liver enzyme profiles altered in diabetes. Vulnerary: Used as a wound-healing agent, applied to sores, ulcers, and skin issues. Antinociceptive & Hypnotic: Extracts have shown pain-relieving (antinociceptive) and sleep-inducing (hypnotic) effects in experimental models.
Advantages
The advantages of Premna tomentosa stem from its diverse traditional applications and validated pharmacological activities: Multi-Purpose Efficacy: Offers a single plant source for addressing a wide range of conditions, from digestive and stomach disorders to skin issues, fever, inflammation, and liver protection. Holistic Traditional Use: Integrated into established traditional systems like Siddha and Ayurveda, providing centuries of empirical use and safety data within those frameworks. Hepatoprotective Potential: Its confirmed activity against liver damage is a significant benefit, validating its traditional use for liver disorders. Natural Source of Bioactives: Contains a rich profile of therapeutic compounds (flavonoids, diterpenoids, iridoid glycosides) which offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Edibility and Flavor: The leaves and tender shoots are eaten in curries, and the leaves are also used to flavor ghee (clarified butter), showing its dual role as food and medicine.
Uses
Various parts of the Premna tomentosa plant are utilized for medicinal and other purposes: Plant Part Medicinal Uses Other Uses Leaves Diuretic, postpartum tonic/remedy after childbirth, anti-biliousness, relief from abdominal pains, locally applied to scabies, skin rashes, itching, and on ulcers to remove foetid discharges and worms. Used for flavoring ghee and eaten in curries. Root/Root Oil Remedy for stomach disorders (aromatic oil), fever, and thirst. Bark/Root Bark Decoction for fever, thirst, to increase milk secretion in women, and for indigestion in cattle (veterinary medicine). Used for diarrhoea (inner bark extract) and rheumatic pains (root bark). Whole Plant Pounded and rubbed on caterpillar stings for soothing skin irritation. Wood Used for house building, furniture, weaving shuttles, carving, turnery, and fancy work due to its light brown, hard, close-grained nature. Fuelwood. Export to Sheets
Using Way
Traditional methods of using Premna tomentosa typically involve preparing simple, crude extracts or poultices from different parts of the plant: Decoction: A traditional preparation where the plant material (leaves, roots, or bark) is boiled in water to extract its medicinal compounds. Examples: Decoction of leaves as a postpartum tonic or for dropsical affections; decoction of roots and bark for fever, thirst, and to increase milk secretion. Juice/Crushed Parts: Direct application or ingestion of the juice or crushed plant material. Examples: Leaf juice taken for biliousness and abdominal pains; crushed leaves applied locally as a poultice for scabies, skin rashes, itching, and sores; whole plant pounded and rubbed on caterpillar stings. Oil: Aromatic oil extracted from the roots is used for stomach disorders. Culinary Use: Leaves and tender shoots are used as an ingredient in curries or as a flavoring agent.
Conclusion
Premna tomentosa Willd., also known as Bastard Teak or Agnimanth, is a valuable, moderate-sized deciduous tree deeply embedded in the traditional medicinal systems of South and Southeast Asia, especially Siddha and Ayurveda. Characterized by its densely tomentose, ovate leaves and small black fruits, virtually all parts of the plant—leaves, roots, and bark—are utilized. Its traditional uses for stomach disorders, fever, skin afflictions, diuretic purposes, and postnatal care are increasingly being substantiated by scientific studies that confirm potent hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities. While locally scarce in some areas, its wide geographical distribution and versatile medicinal and economic uses (timber, flavoring) underscore its importance as a significant natural resource warranting continued study and sustainable management. The presence of key phytochemicals like flavonoids and terpenoids points to its promise as a source of novel therapeutic agents for various health conditions, particularly liver damage and inflammatory diseases.
