Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. is Really a Plant of Heaven

Abstract

Over the past decade, herbal and ayurvedic drugs have become a subject of world importance, with both medicinal and economical implications. A regular and widespread use of herbs throughout the world has increased serious concerns over their quality, safety and efficacy. Thus, a proper scientific evidence or assessment has become the criteria for acceptance of herbal health claims. Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. is a tree belonging to family Simaroubaceae, indigenous to Central and Southern India. Commonly it is known as a plant of Heaven. The traditional claims, phytochemical investigations and pharmacological evaluation and some ayurvedic formulations provide the backbone to make this tree as a plant of Heaven. This is not wrong to say that it is largactil because it has number of activities. This review article explores the traditional knowledge or claims along with pharmacognostical, phytochemical, pharmacological and future aspects of this plant. Over many centuries humans have been mining the bounties of nature for discovering new phytoconstituent that have been used for the treatment of number of diseases; many such treatments are useful even today as modern day medicine. Emerging evidence also suggests that search is still continuing for harnessing active compounds from nature in combating human illnesses and it also leads the path to search out new active natural and novel semisynthetic or synthetic compounds.

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF Ailanthus excelsa ROXB IN MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION POST MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION: STUDY IN CHRONIC ISCHEMIC RAT MODEL

“…The treatment of extract confirmed the antioxidant property which was consistent with other studies performed in vivo and in vitro Kumar et al (2010). The extract treated groups established significant antioxidant effects by showing enhanced activity levels of enzyme SOD, CAT and GSHpx and reduced levels for MDA.…”

“…Literatures confirm presence of six flavonoids in methanolic extracts exhibiting ACE inhibitory and anti-inflammatory activity, the extract is documented to treat asthma and ulcers also Kumar et al (2010). Literatures also support role of ACE inhibitors in expression of VEGF proteins in process of angiogenesis in myocardial infracted rats grafted with MSC Izuagie et al 2015.…”

“…The bark AER is found to contain sitosterol, Quassinoids and Ailantic acid Kumar et al (2010). The bark of AER finds place in ancient Chinese medicine for treating alignments such as diarrhea and dysentery associated blood in stools Chopra et al (1958).…”

Bronchodilator Activity in Traditional Medicines: Gift of God Kingdom

“…Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects about 300 million people worldwide, a total that is expected to rise to about 400 million over the next 15-20 years (Kumar et al, 2010 a ) Ailanthus is a deciduous tree belonging to the family Simarubaceae, and widely distributed in Asia and North Australia. Commonly it is known as a Plant of Heaven.…”

A New Heart Rot Disease in <i>Ailanthus excelsa</i> Roxb. Caused by <i>Navisporus floccosus</i> (Bres.) Ryvarden

“…It play an important role in management of land resources and securing livelihoods of economically poor people through agro-forestry system to meet the increasing demand for food, fodder and fuel wood (Jat et al, 2011). Stem bark of this tree was bitter in taste but it was used as astringent, febrifuge, stomachic, antihelmintic, antispasmodic, expectorant and used for the treatment of bronchitis, cold, cough, skin diseases, trouble of rectum, diarrhoea, dysentery, dropsy, fever due to tridosha, guinea-worms, snakebite and also used as contraceptive (Kumar et al, 2010). An antifungal-activity containing two new dammarane-type triterpenes, namely ailexcelone and ailexcelol was isolated from heartwood of A. excelsa (Srinivas, et al 2006).…”