Common Name: Saptarangi, Salacia
English Name: Marking Nut Tree
Botanical Name: Salacia reticulata
Family: Hippocrateaceae
Description: A large, straggling, woody shrub with dichotomous branching. Bark smooth, greenish grey, thin, white inside. Leaves opposite, elliptic-oblong, base acute, apex abruptly acuminate, margin toothed with minute rounded teeth, leathery, hairless, shiny, lateral nerves about seven pairs, prominent beneath; Flowers bisexual, 2-8 clustered in leaf axils.
Chemical Constituents: The active markers include xanthone-e-glucoside, mangiferin ,salacinol and polyphenols viz,. epicatechin,epigallocatechin, methylepigallocatechin triterpenoids. A phytochemical 'Kotalanol' has been isolated from this, which shows potent inhibitory activity against sucrose.
Properties: Salacia Reticulata appears to have the ability to inhibit lipase enzymes and may reduce the rate of lipid absorption after a meal. It was attributed to its intestinal α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. α-Glycosidase inhibitors retard the digestion and hence absorption of carbohydrates in the small intestine that prevents the increase in blood glucose concentration after a carbohydrate load. They are useful in skin diseases, anti-rheumatic, hepatoprotective and colic.
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