About Helicteres isora L.
Growth Form and Size
Helicteres isora L. is a small tree or large shrub that reaches 5 to 8 metres in height.
Bark and Leaf Characteristics
It has grey bark, and alternately arranged, hairy, ovate leaves with serrate margins.
Flower Color
Its flowers are brick red or orange-red.
Fruit Morphology
Unripe fruits of this plant are green, while dried fruits are brown or grey; fruits are twisted, with a screw-shaped structure at the pointed end.
Seed Characteristics
The plant's seeds are black or brown, highly polished, roughly rhomboid, and may be rectangular or triangular.
Flower Pollinators
Recorded pollinators of its flowers include the jungle babbler, the golden-fronted leafbird, the ashy drongo, and the white-bellied drongo.
Species Range
This is a tropical Asian plant. It can be found across India and Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.
Indian Habitat
It grows gregariously on hill slopes in the dry deciduous forests of central and western India.
Additional Distribution Areas
It is also found on the Malay Peninsula, Java, and Australia.
Traditional Medicinal Uses
The fruits and roots of Helicteres isora L. are used in the traditional medicine systems of Asia, Iraq, and South Africa, where they are considered useful for treating a wide range of conditions including gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, cancer, and infections.
Validation of Traditional Uses
There do not appear to be any scientific investigations that confirm these traditional uses.
In Vitro Extract Effects
However, laboratory studies have found that both bacteria and cancer cells tend to have reduced survival when exposed to fruit extracts from this plant.
In Vivo Extract Effects
Animal studies have shown that root extracts can improve glucose tolerance in diabetic rats.
