Homalanthus nutans
Encyclopedia
Homalanthus nutans, known locally as the mamala tree, is a species of plant
in the Euphorbiaceae
family. It is found in Samoa
. Samoan healers use a concoction made from the bark to treat hepatitis
. Research has indicated that a protein from the bark called prostratin
has the potential to act as a treatment for HIV.
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
in the Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae, the Spurge family are a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....
family. It is found in Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
. Samoan healers use a concoction made from the bark to treat hepatitis
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The name is from the Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation"...
. Research has indicated that a protein from the bark called prostratin
Prostratin
Prostratin is a protein kinase C activator found in the bark of the mamala tree of Samoa, Homalanthus nutans . While prostratin was originally isolated and identified as a new phorbol from species of the genus Pimelea in Australia, the antiviral activity of prostratin was discovered during...
has the potential to act as a treatment for HIV.