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| Salacia reticulata | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Celastrales |
| Family: | Celastraceae |
| Genus: | Salacia |
| Species: | S. reticulata |
| Binomial name | |
| Salacia reticulata Wight | |
Salacia reticulata is a flowering plant of the genus Salacia native to Sri Lanka and the Andaman Islands. 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.
References
- ^ "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.
| Taxon identifiers | |
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| Salacia reticulata | |
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