Allamanda

Overview

Native to Brazil, South America. It is widely cultivated as ornamental plant which was escaped and naturalised outside of its natural habitat throughout much of the tropics. It is an invasive plant in Australia and some Pacific island. Cultivated in China for medicine.

Vernacular Names

Lame areuy (Indonesia), Bunga akar kuning (Malay), Campanilla (Philippines), Ban buri lueang (Thai), Huynh anh (Vietnamese), Golden trumpet vine (Australia), Alamanda-amarela; Carolina; Collazo; Dedal-da-princesa; Dedal-da-rainha; Dedal-de-dama; Margarida; Orelia; Santamaria (Brazil), Aramena; Puapua; Tiare regarenga (Cook Isl.), Allamande; Goldtrompete (Germany), Jazmín de Cuba; Trompeta amrialla; Trompetilla (Mexico), Lani ali'i; Nani ali'i (USA/Hawaii).

Agroecology

Allamanda does best in full sun, rich, well-drained soil and plenty of moisture during the growing season. Being from the tropics, it needs warm condition (night temperatures of 15-18 °C and day temperature of 21 °C or higher) and also prefers moderate to high humidity.

Morphology

• Roots - fibrous.
• Stems - exude milky white sap when incised.
• Leaves - simple, exstipulate, glossy, leathery and glabrous. Leaf blade is oblong-lanceolate, 8-15 cm by 4-5 cm and arranged in opposites of 3-5 sessiles.
• Flowers - large, tubular, bright yellow and 4-5 cm long.

Cultivation

• Propagated by seeds and cuttings.
• Take half-hardened cuttings, provide bottom heat and enclose the cuttings to provide high humidity.
• Plant 8-10 cm long tip cuttings of early growth in 8 cm pots of a moistened equal-parts mixture of peat moss and coarse sand or perlite. Place each cutting in a plastic bag or propagating case and stand it in bright filtered light at 21 °C. When rooted, treat the young plant as mature. Move them into the standard mixture after two months.

Chemical Constituents

Hexadecanoic acid, polyphenol, octadecadienoic acid, essential oils, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, terpenes, steroids, and flavonoids.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• The plant has been used as a purgative to induce vomiting at low dosage.
• The leaves are cathartic and the bark is used as a hydragogue for ascites.
• Studies have suggested antidermatophytic, wound healing, antiproliferative, antifertility, antibacterial, antifungal, anticholinesterase, membrane stabilizing, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, antiviral, hepatoprotective, thrombolytic, tyrosinase inhibitory properties.
• Throughout Sout-East Asia, a decoction of the leaves is used as a purgative or emetic.
• In Philippines, a decoction of the plant is used as an antidote. However, large doses may result in poisoning.
• In Java-Indonesia, a steaming infusion is used to relieve coughs and headaches; the patient breathes in the vapour.
• In South America, the leaves or latex are used as a purgative.
• In Peru, the bark is used as a febrifuge.
• In Suriname, the roots are used againts jaundice, for complications with malaria and enlarged spleen.