Eurycoma longifolia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Eurycoma longifolia | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Simaroubaceae |
| Genus: | Eurycoma |
| Species: | E. longifolia |
| Binomial name | |
| Eurycoma longifolia Jack[1] |
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Eurycoma longifolia (a.k.a. tongkat ali or pasak bumi) is a flowering plant in the family Simaroubaceae, native to Indonesia and Malaysia.
[edit] Growth
Eurycoma longifolia is a small evergreen treelet growing to 15 m (49 ft) tall, with spirally arranged, pinnate leaves 20-40 cm (8-16 inches) long with 13-41 leaflets. The flowers are dioecious, with male and female flowers on different trees; they are produced in large panicles, each flower with 5-6 very small petals. The fruit is green ripening dark red, 1-2 cm long and 0.5-1 cm broad.
[edit] Uses
Eurycoma longifolia has become popular for its alleged testosterone-enhancing properties[citation needed]. It has therefore been included in some herbal supplements for bodybuilders. Historically, South East Asia has utilised the herb for its suggested antimalarial, antipyretic, antiulcer, cytotoxic and aphrodisiac properties.
Some scientific studies suggest that it enhances sexual characteristics and performance in animals.[2][3][4] However, most of these studies were conducted by the same researchers, so more research is needed.
In other studies, fractions of Eurycoma longifolia extract have been shown to induce apoptosis in breast-cancer cells[5] and to be cytotoxic to lung-cancer cells.[6]
A 2003 study by researchers in the Department of Exercise Physiology at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, the abstract of which was presented in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in a section listing research to be presented at an upcoming conference, reported results that Eurycoma longifolia caused increased muscle strength and size when compared to a placebo.[7]
Other laboratory animal tests have produced positive indications, with one extract having been observed to increase sexual activity in mature rats, including arousal, sniffing and mounting behavior. These tests were performed on a specifically isolated bioactive fraction extract, which has since been co-patented by the Government of Malaysia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.). U.S. patent #7,132,117 was granted December 12, 2003.[8]
Tongkat ali is sold in various extract ratios, with 1:20, 1:50, 1:100, and 1:200 being common. Traditionally Tongkat Ali is extracted with water and not ethanol.
[edit] References
- ^ "Eurycoma longifolia information from NPGS/GRIN". www.ars-grin.gov. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?417514. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
- ^ Ang HH, Ngai TH, Tan TH (2003). "Effects of Eurycoma longifolia Jack on sexual qualities in middle aged male rats". Phytomedicine 10 (6-7): 590–3. doi:. PMID 13678248.
- ^ Ang HH, Cheang HS, Yusof AP. (2000). "Effects of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Tongkat Ali) on the initiation of sexual performance of inexperienced castrated male rats". Exp Anim 49 (1): 35–8. doi:. PMID 10803359.
- ^ Ang HH, Lee KL, Kiyoshi M (2004). "Sexual arousal in sexually sluggish old male rats after oral administration of Eurycoma longifolia Jack". J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol 15 (3-4): 303–9. PMID 15803965.
- ^ Tee TT, & Azimahtol HL. (2005). "Induction of apoptosis by Eurycoma longifolia jack extracts". Anticancer Res 25 (3B): 2205–13. PMID 16158965.
- ^ Kuo PC, Shi LS, Damu AG, Su CR, Huang CH, Ke CH, Wu JB, Lin AJ, Bastow KF, Lee KH, Wu TS. (2003). "Cytotoxic and antimalarial beta-carboline alkaloids from the roots of Eurycoma longifolia". J Nat Prod 66 (10): 1324–7. doi:. PMID 14575431.
- ^ Hamzah S, Yusof A (October 2003). "The Ergogenic Effects of Eurycoma Longifolia Jack: A Pilot Study". Br. J. Sports Med. 37: 464–70. doi:. http://bjsm.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/37/5/464. - Abstract of study listed as item 007
- ^ U.S. Patent 7,132,117
In the study "Influence of Eurycoma longifolia on the copulatory activity of sexually sluggish and impotent male rats" (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8D-4X2DD0G-C&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1112507490&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=f5115eee1d6929f8e1b4e7928fe0c9a2) Italian researchers evaluated the influence of Eurycoma longifolia Jack on sexual behavior (including both motivation and copulatory performance) of sexually sluggish and impotent male rats. They concluded that Eurycoma longifolia root improved sexual performance but not motivation in sluggish rats after acute or subacute administration. The effect could be mainly ascribed to increased testosterone levels.
