Contact Us |

Common Mahang

Macaranga triloba (Thuns).Mull.Arg

Euphorbiaceae

Location in our garden

Principal

Synonym

Macaranga cornuta Müll.Arg.

Macaranga quadricornis Ridl.

Pachystemon trilobus (Thunb.) Blume

Habitus

Trees. A perennial tree growing up to 35 m, and 70 cm in diameter.

Part Used

  • Leaves

Growing Requirements

  • Full Sunshine

Habitat

  • Forest
  • Terrestrial
Share
Download

Overview

Native to South-East Asia. Traditionally, the bioactivity of Macaranga triloba has been harnessed in folk medicine in the tropical region. In Taiwan and China, the dried leaves are used in herbal tea preparations. In Indonesia (by Talang Mamak society), young leaves are eaten as vegetable, the root is used as yellow colour dye, and the bark is used as glue.

Vernacular Names

Mahang (Malaysia).

Agroecology

Macaranga triloba grows as small trees mainly in secondary forests. opened primary forests, and newly cleared areas. Prefers sandy and loamy soils. It produces flower and fruit all round year.

Morphology

  • Root - strong taproot.
  • Stem - branch can reach 25 m, cylindrical, smooth, greenish-grey. Thick and fleshy whitish-yellow bark.
  • Leaves - alternate, arranged in ascending spiral, palmate venation, rounded base, caudate apex, serrated tips, soft, green, and rough hairy abaxial.
  • Flowers - small, yellow in colour, bisexual.
  • Fruit - hard, small capsule.

Cultivation

Propagated by seed (generative propagation).

Chemical Constituents

Phenolic compounds, flavonoids (5,7,3’,4’-tetrahydroxy-6-geranilflavonol, kaempferol 7-O-β-glucose, and apigenin), alkaloids.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

  • M. triloba is used to treat fungal infections and the leaf decoction to treat stomach aches.
  • Studies had showed antioxidant, tyrosinase inhibition and antibacterial activities.

Part Used

Reference Sources

  1. Royal Botanical Garden Kew. (2017). Plants of the World Online: Macaranga triloba (Thunb.) Müll.Arg. http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:351400-1. 11-11-2021.
  2. Smith, Winifred. (No date). MACARANGA TRILOBA : A NEW MYRMECOPHILOUS PLANT. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1903.tb05820.x. 11-11-2021.
  3. M. Heil, A. Hilpert, et al. (2002). Nutrient allocation of Macaranga triloba ant plants to growth, photosynthesis and indirect defence. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2435.2002.00643.x. 11-11-2021.
  4. Malaysia Plant Red  List. (2010).Native Plants: Macaranga triloba. https://www.mybis.gov.my/sp/39342. 11-11-2021.
  5. Amirta, R., Angi, E.M., Ramadhan, R., et al. (2017). POTENSI PEMANFAATAN Macaranga. https://fahutan.unmul.ac.id/dosen/rudianto_amirta/assets/buku/Potensi%20Pemanfaatan%20Macaranga.pdf. 11-11-2021.
  6. Lim, T.Y., Lim Y.Y., and Yule. (2009). Evaluation of antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-tyrosinase activitiesof four Macaranga species. Journal Food Chemistry, 114 (pg.594–599). https://www.academia.edu/3660573/Lim_Lim_and_Yule_2009_Bioactivity_of_Macaranga_species_Food_Chemistry. 11-11-2021.