Клінакантус

Sabah Snake Grass is commonly used in traditional medicine in the Southeast Asian region, particularly in Thailand and Malaysia. In general, only the leaves are used in traditional medicine.

Botany

The plant has upright, drooping branches that grow to 1-3 m tall. Its leaves are simple, opposite and stalked. The dull red to orange red flowers are about 3.2 cm long, with a green base. Its flowers are rare. The Latin name nutans means nodding and refers to the drooping form of the branches and leaves.

Range and Cultivation

The plant is found largely in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It can be propagated by seed or stem cutting. Most users prefer fresh leaves, while most researchers have experimented with dried plant parts.

Chemistry

Several classes of phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, glycosides, cerebrosides, lignans, and phytosterols, have been isolated from different parts of the plant. Schaftoside is the major compound at different harvesting ages and frequencies. Four sulfur-containing compounds, clinamides A-C and 2-cis-entadamide A, were isolated from the ethanol extract of the aerial parts. The phytochemical composition varied depending on the region where the plant was cultivated.

Traditional Uses

The plant is used in traditional herbal medicine for skin rashes, insect and snake bites, lesions caused by herpes simplex virus, diabetes, and gout in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and China. Since 1987, it has become one of the herbs recommended for use in hospitals and was included in the Primary Health Care Programme by the Government of Thailand. Despite the rich ethnomedicinal knowledge behind its traditional uses, the current scientific evidence to support these claims remains scant.

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