Plant Part Used
Roots
Active Constituents
Eurycomanone, 13,21-dihydroeurycomanone, 12-acetyl-13,21-dihydroeurycomanone, 13beta,21-dihydroeurycomanone, 13(21)-epoxyeurycomanone, 15-acetyl-13alpha (21)-epoxyeurycomanone, 12,15-diacetyl-13alpha(21)-epoxyeurycomanone, eurycomanol, 13beta,18-dihydroeurycomanol, eurycomanol-2-O-beta-D-glucopy-ranoside, eurycomalactone, 6alpha-hydroxyeurycomalactone, 7alpha-hydroxyeurycomalactone, 5,6-dehydroeurycomalactone, eurylactone A and B, eurycolactone A to C, eurycolactone D to F, laurycolactone A and B, longilactone, 6-dehydroxylongilactone, 6-dehydrolongilactone, 11-dehydro-klaineanone, 12-epi-11-dehydroklaineanone, 15beta-hydroxyklaineanone, 6alpha-acetoxy-15beta-hydroxyklaineanone, 14,15beta-dihydroxyklaineanone, 15beta-acetyl-14-hydroxyklaineanone, 6alpha-acetoxy-14,15beta-dihydroxyklaineanone and 6alpha-acetoxy-15beta-hydroxyklaineanone, canthin-6-one, canthin-6-one-3N-oxide, 9-hydroxycanthin-6-one, 9-hydroxycanthin-6-one-3N-oxide, 11-hydroxycanthin-6-one, 9-methoxycanthin-6-one, 9-methoxycanthin-6-one-3N-oxide, 3-methylcanthine-5,6-dione, 9,10-dimethoxycanthine-6-one, 10-hydroxy-9-methoxycanthine-6-one, 11-hydroxy-10-methoxycanthine-6-one, 5,9-dimethoxycanthine-6-one, 9-methoxy-3-methyl-canthine-5,6-dione, beta-carboline-1-propionic acid, 7-methoxy-beta-carboline-1-propionic acid, 1-methoxymethyl-carboline, squalene, longilene peroxide, eurylene, 14-deacetyl eurylene, teurilene, tirucallane-type triterpenes, niloticin, dihydroniloticin, piscidinol A, bourjotinolone A, 3-episapeline A, melianone, hispidone, biphenylneolignans, isomeric 2,2’-dimethoxy-4-(3-hydroxy-1-propenyl)-4’-(1,2,3-trihydroxypropyl)diphenyl ethers, 2-hydroxy-3,2’,6’-trimethoxy-4’-(2,3-epoxy-1-hydroxypropyl)-5-(3-hydroxy-1-propenyl)biphenyl and 2-hydroxy-3,2’-di-methoxy-4’-(2,3-epoxy-1-hydroxypropyl)-5-(3-hydroxy-1-propenyl)biphenyl, glycoproteins, acetophenone, benzaldehyde, 3-methoxybenzaldehyde, benzoic acid benzyl ether, benzoic acid ethyl ether, benzoic acid methyl ether, benzoic acid propyl ether, cardinene, gamma-cardinene, -cadinol, calamenene, alpha-copaene, alpha-cubebene, cubebene, cuminaldehyde, gamma-decalactone, fenchone, furaldehyde, 5-methylfuraldehyde, geranial, 6-methyl-hep-5-en-2-one, heptan-2-one, hexanal, linoleic acid methyl ester, alpha-muurolene, beta-muurolene, gamma-muurolene, nonan-2-one and palmitic acid. (1) , (2) , (3) , (4) , (5) , (6) , (7) , (8) , (9) , (10) , (11) , (12) , (13) , (14) , (15) , (16) , (17) , (18) , (19) , (20)
Introduction
Eurycoma longifolia, a small tree belonging to the family Simaroubaceae, is found in the jungles of Malaysia, Indochina, Sumatra, and Borneo. The tree grows as a medium size slender shrub reaching 10 meters in height, often unbranched with reddish brown petioles. It has compound leaves of even pinnates reaching 1 meter in length. Each compound leaf consists of 30-40 leaflets and each leaflet is about 5-20 cm long, 1.5-6 cm wide. The flowers are hermaphrodite and the petals are small with very fine pubescent. The fruits are hard, oblong, about 1-2 cm long, yellowish brown when young and brownish red when ripe. (21) Every part of the tree is bitter and its root is popularly sought as medicine by the natives to ease fever; as a medication after birth; for healing of boils, wounds, ulcers, syphilis, and bleeding gums. (22)
In Malaysia, Eurycoma Longifolia has been long known as a super energizer, a febrifuge, a remedy for fever (malaria), mouth ulcers, intestinal worms, and as an aphrodisiac for men. It is also believed to be effective for treating hypertension, body aches, and improve vitality and as a tonic after childbirth. It is also reported that the paste of the plant is able to relieve headaches, stomachaches, pain caused by syphilis, and many other general pains.
Dosage Info
Dosage Range
100-400 mg powdered roots, taken orally twice daily.
Most Common Dosage
300 mg powdered roots, taken orally twice daily.
Standardization
Eurycoma longifolia is usually standardized to eurycomanone, 13alpha(21)-epoxyeurycomanone, eurycomalactone, and 14,15beta-dihydroxyklaineanone as reference markers for its organic extract whereas the more polar quassinoids and glycoproteins are used as standards for the aqueous extract.
Toxicities & Precautions
Introduction
There were no toxicities reported associated with the powdered roots at the common dosage used in humans.
Side Effects
No information available
Pregnancy/ Breast Feeding
No information available
Age Limitations
No information available
Pharmacology
Eurycoma longifolia root has been taken orally as a decoction in water and has widely gained notoriety as a male aphrodisiac since it was reported to increase male virility. (23) In this study, E. longifolia modified the orientation activities of treated male rats resulting in a significantly increase of frequent and vigorous mounting, licking and anogenital sniffing towards the receptive females. (24) The hesitation time of non-copulator male rats when treated with the chloroform, methanol, water or n-butanol extract of E. longifolia, was significantly decreased after 12 weeks post-treatment. (25) Enhancement of the sexual motivation of the animals after three days post-treatment was also observed and the effect was more prominent after eight days post-treatment. (26) The orientation activities of the middle-age (9 month old) male Sprague-Dawley rats towards the receptive female rats were also increased after 800 mg/kg of chloroform, methanol, water or n-butanol extract of E. longifolia were administered twice daily for 10 days. (27) In another study, E. longifolia produced a dose-dependent increase in sexual performance of the treated animal and promoted the growth of both ventral prostate and seminal vesicles. (28)
E. longifolia has been reported to show antimalarial activity. (29) A semi-purified extract of E. longifolia exhibited a dose-dependent antimalarial activity towards six Malaysia chloroquine-resistant parasites of P. falciparum. (30) Eurycomanone, one of its quassinoid chemical constituents was relatively more potent (152 %) than chloroquine (100%), against a multi-drug resistant Thailand K-1 strain of Plasmodium falciparum cultured in vitro. (31) In another study, 11-dehydroklaineanone and 15beta-O-acetyl-14-hydroxyklaineanone showed potent plasmodicidal activity at IC50 of 2 mg/ml.
Tumor promoter-induced Epstein-Barr virus activation was also reported to be inhibited by 14,15beta-dihydroxyklaineanone (IC50 = 5M) (32) , another quassinoid of E. longifolia. Other quassinoids, eurycomanone, 13,21-dihydroeurycomanone and 14,15beta-dihydroxyklaineanone have showed the potent cytotoxic activity against KB cells whereas only 14,15beta-dihydroxyklaineanone was potent against P388 leukaemia cells. (33) Eurycomalactone, 6alpha-hydroxyeurycomalactone, 5,6-dehydroeurycomalactone, longilactone, 11-dehydroklaineanone, 14,15beta-dihydroxyklaineanone and some tirucallane-type triterpenes such as niloticin, dihydroniloticin, piscidinol A, bourjotinolone A, 3-episapelin A, melianone, and hispidone have exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against P388 and KB cells. (34) However, eurylene, 14-deacetyl eurylene and longilene peroxide, three squalene-type triterpenes, isolated from the wood of E. longifolia gave cytotoxic activity at IC50 9.5 m10-2 mmol/l against P388 cells; 0.52 mg/ml and 5.3 mg/ml against KB cells respectively (17, 18, 6, 3). Two of the quassinoids, 6-dehydroxy-longilactone and 7alpha-hydroxyeurycomalactone were potent against P388 leukaemia cells. Recently, one of the alkaloidal constituents of E. longifolia, 9-methoxycanthine-6-one, possessing cytotoxic activity, had poor bioavailability (less than 1 % absorption) when administered orally to rats. (35)
Other biological studies reported have included that longilactone gave significant antischistosomal activity at a concentration of 200 mg/ml. (36) From antipyretic studies, several quassinoids including eurycomanone, eurycomalactone, and 14,15beta-dihydroxyklaineanone significantly reduced the lipopolysaccharide-induced fever of mice after 1 hour and were more potent than aspirin. (37) Eurycomanone has also been reported to show anti-ulcer properties. (38)
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2) Cultivation
3) Safety
References
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- Tan S, Yuen KH, Chan KL. HPLC analysis of plasma 9-methoxycanthin-6-one from Eurycoma longifolia and its application in a bioavailability/pharmacokinetic study. Planta Medica. 2002;68:355-358.
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