Gen info
• Microglossa is a genus of Asian and African flowering plants in the tribe Astereae within the family Asteraceae.  At present POWO lists 10 accepted species.

Botany
• Hugas is a rambling shrub with longitudinally furrowed branches. Leaves are stalked, ovate-lanceolate, 3.5 to 7.5 centimeters long, pointed at both ends, and obscurely toothed at the margins. Heads are numerous, less than 1 centimeter across, and clustered on the branches of rounded corymbs. Involucral bracts are lanceolate. Achenes are compressed and 4-angled, with the reddish pappus about 3 millimeters long, or much longer than the minute achenes.

• Vines, woody, 0.7-3 m tall, climbing. Stems divaricately branched, striate, villosulous, densely minutely stipitate glandular, glabrescent. Leaves abaxially pale green, adaxially green, ovate, 5-10 × 2.5-4 cm, abaxially densely stipitate glandular, veins densely ferruginous villosulous, adaxially scabrid, base attenuate, margin undulate, crenulate, ciliate, veins pronounced, apex acuminate, mucronate. Capitula 5-6 mm in diam., numerous in axillary or terminal, dense compound-corymbiform synflorescences. Involucre campanulate; phyllaries 4- or 5-seriate, membranous, midvein brown, apex obtuse, ± erose, outer ovate-lanceolate, 0.7-2 mm, abaxially sparsely villosulous, stipitate glandular, midvein pronounced, distally enlarged, middle and inner linear-lanceolate, 2-5 mm, margin hyaline, midvein thin, glabrous, middle sometimes ± stipitate glandular, inner eglandular. Receptacles convex. Ray florets numerous, lamina filiform, ca. 1 mm; disk florets yellow, ca. 5 mm, tube and limb base hairy, limb funnelform, ca. 2.5 mm, lobes 5, linear-triangular, ca. 1 mm. Achenes obovoid, slightly compressed, ca. 1 mm, 3- or 4-ribbed, sometimes veined, sparsely strigillose, stipitate glandular apically. Pappus 2- or 3-seriate, of cinnamon to reddish or white, thin bristles, outer 0-2, ca. 1 mm, inner ca. 4 mm, tapering, innermost 4.2-4.5 mm, slightly clavate. (Flora of China)

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines.
- In thickets, chiefly at medium altitude and ascending to 1,500 meters, in Bontoc and Benguet Subprovinces, and Nueva Viscaya in Luzon; and in Negros and Mindanao.
- Also native to Angola, Assam, Bangladesh, Benin, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, China South-Central, China Southeast, Comoros, Congo, East Himalaya, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Hainan, Ivory Coast, Jawa, Kenya, Laos, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaya, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe. (10)

Constituents
- Study on essential oil of leaves yielded(E)-ß-farnesene and ß-caryophyllene as main constituents. (See study below) (9)
- Study isolated diterpenes phytol and 6-E-geranylgeraniol-19-oic acid.
- Study of essential oil of leaves characterized 50 components, representing 98% of the total oil with germacrene-D as the major component.
- Study of roots isolated seven dihydrobenzofurans and seven triterpenoids (five dammaranes and two 28- nor-oleanenes). (3)
- Phytochemical screening of crude extracts from dried powder leaves yielded terpenoids, saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, and steroids. (19)

Properties
- In folklore medicine, considered anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, analgesic, anti-filarial, abortifacient.
- Studies suggest anticonvulsant, antiplasmodial, sedative, antiseptic, anxiolytic, antibacterial , anti-asthmatic, immunomodulatory, anti-malarial properties.

Parts used
Leaves, root, root bark.

Uses
Folkloric
- Decoction of roots used for stomachache.
- Leaf decoction used for colds.
- In the Gold Coast, plant used for enema to cure fever in babies.
- In Liberia used as a remedy for cough.
- In Tanzania used for the treatment of headaches and colds.
- In West Africa powdered root used as snuff to relieve colds.
- In West Tropical Africa , juice of root, passed through fine linen, used as eye drops.
- Juice of warmed leaves applied as remedy for ringworm of the scalp.
- Tea-like infusion used for fever with headache; also used as inhalant or fumigant to cause sweating.
- Decoction is taken by women in labor.
- In Tanzania decoction of root and root bark used for epilepsy. Compresses soaked in root decoction applied to heal wounds of incised abscesses. Root juice applied to the eyes for cataracts. Leaf applied to inside of nose, in man and cattle, to treat coryza.
- Used for yellow fever, dropsy and backwater fever.
- In Africa M. pyrifolia is used for treatment of malaria.
- In Kenya pounded roots soaked in water used for colds and headache. Infusion of leaves used for malaria. Pound leaves used for treatment of limb fractures. (11) In Bungoma, Kenya, conction of dried burnt leaves are used in treating circumcision wounds.
- In Cameroon leaves of Microglossa pyrifolia, softened in fire, eaten as vermifuge.
- In Ghana used for the treatment of dermal infections and wounds.
- In Rwanda used for cough, elephantiasis and wounds.
- In Ethiopia leaves of M. pyrifolia used for mastitis. The Bench people use the leaves and roots mixed with I spicata for treatment of meningitis. (12)
- In Uganda, one of the plants used by herbalists for treatment of all types of snakebite envenomation, except for puff adder bites.
- In Ghana, used for treatment of dermal infections and wounds.
- In southwest Ethiopia, leaves, above-ground parts, and root mixed with L spicata used for the treatment of meningitis by the Bench people. Leaves used for treatment of hard swelling on the skin by the Meinit people, and treatment of jaundice and herpes by Sheko people. (19)

Studies
• Triterpenoids / Dihydrobenzofurans: Study of roots of Microglossa pyrifolia yielded seven dihydrobenzofurans and seven triterpenoids. (3)
• Herbal Hand Antiseptics: In a study of plant species used as herbal antiseptics, Microglossa pyrifolia showed inhibitory against E coli.
• Anticonvulsant / Sedative: In a study of plants for anticonvulsant and sedative activity using animal models, M pyrifolia protected 50% to 100% of mice against convulsions and also exerted sedative activity by increasing duration of sleep induced by diazepam. (4) Extract of M. pyrifolia was shown to prolong the time to onset of convulsions induced by isonicotinic hydrazide acid and inhibit MES (maxima electroshock)-induced convulsions. Activity may involve antagonistic action on NMDA receptors. (15)
• Antiplasmodial / Leaves: In an in vitro study of 13 Rwandan medicinal plants, the leaf extract of M pyrifolia was one among those that showed good results on antiplasmodial activity, active against chloroquine sensitive and resistant strains. (5)
• Antiplasmodial / Aerial Parts: In an anti-plasmodial assay, aerial parts of M. pyrifolia methanol extract showed the highest activity against P. falciparum chloroquine sensitive, D6 strain and chloroquine resistant W2 strain. (8)
• Essential Oils / Leaves: Essential oil samples from hydrodistillation of leaves of M. pyrifolia found the main constituents to be (E)-ß-farnesene (73-78%) and ß-caryophyllene (11-14 %). (9)
• Antibacterial: Study of M. pyrifolia on MIC testing showed 8mg/ml against both Staphylococcus aureus and S. sonnei. (12) Study of 80% methanol leaf extract of M. pyrifolia showed mean diameter zone of inhibition of 16.5 and 18.5 mm against S. aureus, and 11 and 12 mm against  S. sonnei at 50 and 100 mg/ml concentration. On MIC, extract had 8 ,mg/ml against both S. aureus and S. sonnei. (18)
• Essential Oil / Antibacterial Essential oil evaluated for antimicrobial activity showed moderate activity with inhibition of a number of common human pathogenic bacteria (S. aureus, E. coli, Shigella flexneri, and G. scabra). Antioxidant capacity was examined using an in vitro radical scavenging test, The essential oil scavenged DPPH, with an IC5050>30% Equivalent quercetin. (13)
• Anxiolytic Activity: Study showed M. pyrifolia, A. ambrosioides, and M. pudica possess anxiolytic-like and antipyretic like activity which could be helpful in the treatment of anxiety and fever in traditional Cameroon medicine. (14)
• Anti-Asthmatic / Immunomodulatory: Study evaluated the anti-asthmatic activities of extracts of Microglossa pyrifolia, Strychnos henningsii and Acacia xanthophloea in Swiss albino mice induced by intraperitoneal injection of 1% ovalbumin followed by treatment using methanol and water extracts of the three plants. Standard reference was prednisolone 10 mg/kg. Results showed the extracts were able to reduce IgE and eosinophil levels in an asthmatic attack. (20)
• Anti-Malarial / Plasmodium falciparum / 6E-geranylgeraniol-19-oic acid: Study evaluated different extracts from 11 West African plants traditionally used against malaria in Ghana against both chloroquine-sensitive strain PoW and chloroquine-resistant clone Dd2 of Plasmodium falciparum. Due to promising invitro activity of lipophilic extract (IC50 10.5 µg/ml (PoW) ad 13.1 µg/ml (Dd2), Microglossa pyrifolia was chosen for further phytochemical investigation. Thirteen compounds were isolated from active fractions. Compound 11, diterpene 6E-geranylgeraniol-19-oic acid was considered mainly responsible for the moderate antiplasmodial activity. (21)

Availability
Wild-crafted.

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Microglossa pyrifolia / Prelude Medicinal Plants Database
(2)
Medicinal plants used for intestinal diseases in Mbalmayo Region, Central Province, Cameroon / E Noumi, A Yomi / Fitoterapia 72Ž2001.246
254
(3)
New dihydrobenzofurans and triterpenoids from roots of Microglossa pyrifolia / Schmidt TJ et al / Planta Med. 2003 Mar;69(3):258-64 / DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-38480
(4)
Validation of anticonvulsant and sedative activity of six medicinal plants / E Ngo Bum, G S Taiwe et al /
Epilepsy & Behavior,  2009; 14(3): pp 454-458 / DOI:10.1016/j.yebeh.2008.12.022
(5)
Antiplasmodial and cytotoxic activities of Rwandan medicinal plants used in the treatment of malaria / Raymond Muganga, L Angenot et al / Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 128, Issue 1, 2 March 2010, Pages 52-57
(6)
INVENTORY OF PLANTS USED IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN TANZANIA. I. PLANTS OF THE FAMILIES ACANTHACEAECUCURBITACEAE/ Inga Hedberg and Olov Hedberg /
(7)
Microglossa pyrifolia (Lam.) / Chinese names / Catalogue of Life, China
(8)
The Anti-malarial and Biochemical Studies of Microglossa pyrifolia (Lam.) Ktze and Trimeria grandifolia (Hochst.) Warb from Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya / Charles Onyango Omollo / JKUAT Abstracts of PostGraduate Thesis, 2011
(9)
Composition of the essential oils from the leaves of Microglossa pyrifolia (Lam.) O. Kuntze and Helichrysum odoratissimum (L.) Less growing in Cameroon / J R Kuiate, P H Amvan Zollo, E H Nguefa, J M Bessiere, G Lamaty and C Menut / Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 14, 82-84 (1999)
(10)
Microglossa pyrifolia / Synonyms / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(11)
The Anti-malarial and Biochemical Studies of Microglossa pyrifolia (Lam.) Ktze and Trimeria grandifolia (Hochst.) Warb from Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya / Charles Onyango Omollo / Thesis 2011 /
(12)
Antibacterial activities of Microglossa pyrifolia (Lamk.)Kuntze, Leucas deflexa / Hook. and Indigofera spicata Forssk Jemal Dilebo / International Journal of Pharma Sciences and Research (IJPSR)
(13)
Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil of Guizotia scabra and Microglossa pyrifolia from Rwanda / MJ Mukazayire , JC Tomani , JC Chalchat , C Stévigny , P Duez / Planta Med 2009; 75 - P I38 / DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234802
(14)
Anxiolytic activity evaluation of four medicinal plants from Cameroon. / Bum EN / Soudi S / Ayissi ER Dong,Lakoulo NH, Maidawa F, Seke PF, et al. / African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM / African Networks on Ethnomedicines 8:5 Suppl 2011 pg 130-9
(15)
The effects of herbal medicine on epilepsy / Wei Liu*, Tongtong Ge*, Zhenxiang Pan, Yashu Leng, Jiayin Lv and Bingjin Li / Oncotarget. 2017; 8:48385-48397 / https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.16801
(16)
Microglossa pyrifolia: Common names / Umbertp Quattrocchi / CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants: Common names
(17)
Medicinal plants species used by herbalists in the treatment of snakebite envenomation in Uganda / David Fred Okot, Godwin Anywar, Jane Namukobe, Robert Byamukama / Tropical Medicine and Health, 2020; 48(44) / DOI: 10.1186/s41182-020-00229-4
(18)
Antibacterial activities of Microglossa pyrifolia (Lamk.)Kuntze, Leucas deflexa Hook. and Indigofera spicata Forssk / Jemal Dilebo / IJPSR: International Journal of Pharma Sciences and Research, 2015; 6(5) / ISSN: 0975-9492
(19)
Phytochemical Screening aad Antimicrobial Activity of Microglossa Pyrifolia Lam Kuntze Plant Extracts on Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus / SV Okello, V Kathambi, PA Sikuku / Kibbii University 1st International Conference, 2016
(20)
Anti-asthmatic and Immunomodulatory properties of extracts of Acacia xanthophloea, Strychnos henningsii and Microglossa pyrifolia in asthma-induced mice / Grace Akinyi Odongo / Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology : Thesis Dissertations - Molecular Medicine
(21)
Herbal Remedies Traditionally Used Against Malaria in Ghana: Bioassay-Guided Fractionation of Microglossa pyrifolia (Asteraceae) / Inga Köhler, Kristina Jenett-Siems, Carola Kraft, Eckart Eich et al /
Z. Naturforsch, 2002; 57c: pp 1022-1027

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