Flueggea leucopyrus

Flueggea leucopyrus is a species of shrub or tree. It primarily grows in wet tropical biomes. Its common names include Indian snowberry, white honey shrub, bushweed or cool pot.

Names
Flueggea leucopyrus is known by many names.


 * Telugu: Pulugudu (పులుగుడు) or Tella Pulugudu (తెల్ల పులుగుడు)
 * Kannada: Bili sooli gida (ಬಿಳಿ ಸೂಳಿ ಗಿಡ) or just Sooli (ಸೂಳಿ)
 * Tamil: Varat-pula (வறட்பூலா), Vellai-p-pulanci (ள்ளைப்பூலாஞ்சி), Vellaipoola (வெள்ளை பூலை), Madhuppullaanthi (மதுபிபுல்லாந்தி) or Pulanji (புலஞ்சி)
 * Malaylam: Amboorippachila (അമ്പൂരിപ്പച്ചില), Mulpulanji (മുൾപ്പുല്ലാഞ്ഞി), Perimklavu (പെരിംക്ലാവ്), Vellamullaram (വെള്ളമുള്ളാരം) or Cerimklaav (ചെരിംക്ലാവ്)
 * Konkani: Parpo
 * Sanskrit: Panduphali (पान्डुफली), Bhuriphali (भूरिफली) or Shwetakambuja (श्वेतकम्बुज)
 * Marathi: Pandharphali (पांढरफळी)
 * Sinhala: Katupila (කටුපිල)

Description


Flueggea leucopyrus is an erect, much-branched shrub up to 5 meters tall with angular branchlets ending in sharp spines. Its leaves are alternate, obovate to elliptic, and measure up to 2.5 x 1.5 cm. Male flowers are greenish-yellow and clustered in axillary fascicles, while female flowers are solitary. The perianth lobes are 5, with 5 free stamens and a disc of 5 glands alternating with the stamens. Fruits are globose, about 5 mm across, 3-celled, and white when ripe. Seeds are trigonous, smooth, and pale brown.

Range
Its native range is Ethiopia to Somalia, Socotra, Saudi Arabia (Sajid Island), Pakistan to China (Sichuan, Yunnan), Sri Lanka. Hence, it is native to Bangladesh, China South-Central, Ethiopia, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Socotra, Somalia and Sri Lanka.

Habitat and ecology
The flowering period of Flueggea leucopyrus is February to May. While the fruiting period is April to November. It is commonly found on foothills to scrub jungles from the coast to 900m or dry deciduous forests.

Human use and medicinal properties
Juice or paste of the leaves of Flueggea leucopyrus is utilized in conjunction with tobacco to eradicate worms in the sores. It has been used in Ayurveda and folk medicine, especially in Sri Lankan folk medicine where it used in the management of acute and chronic types of wounds. Its fruits are edible and the flowers of it attract honeybees. F.leucopyrus has been found to be antifungal against Aspergillus. S.leucopyrus shows potential anti-inflammatory effects against protein denaturation and proteinase inhibitors, possibly due to flavonoids and polyphenols. Further research is needed to identify active components and their mechanisms of action.

Extracts from F. leucopyrus possess antioxidant properties, with the most significant effects observed in chloroform and alcoholic extracts. These extracts showed a dose-dependent increase in antioxidant activity, with percentages of 82.5% and 88.4% respectively. Flavanoids, alkaloids, tannins, and steroids present in the extracts are believed to be responsible for this scavenging activity. The order of effectiveness of the extracts was alcohol > chloroform > ethyl acetate > hydro-alcohol > hexane. This antioxidant activity was attributed to the reduction of the stable radical DPPH by the chemical constituents of the plant, which act as hydrogen donors.

The decoction of aerial parts of F. leucopyrus shows cytotoxic effects on breast cancer cells, particularly Her2 negative ones (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231), compared to Her2 positive (SKBR-3) and non-cancerous cells (MCF-10A). This supports its traditional use for its anticancer properties.

Young branches of F.leucopyrus have been used as brooms by the aboriginal inhabitants of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve within the Western Ghats region of India.