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Family Meliaceae
Tukang-kalau
Aglaia pachyphylla Miq.
KOPING-KOPING

Scientific names Common names
Aglaia barbatula Koord. & Valeton            Makaasim (Tag.)
Aglaia clarkii Merr.            Tukang-kalau (Tag.)
Aglaia megistocarpa Merr.             
Aglaia pachyphylla Miq.             
Aglaia pachyphylla Miq. is an accepted species. KEW: Plants of the World Online

Other vernacular names
INDONESIA: Siluwar (Sundanese, Java); Singkok (Kalimantan).
MALAYSIA: Semeliang (Peninsular); Langsat-langsat, Koping-koping (Sabah), Guijo.

Gen info
- Aglaia is a genus of 121 recognized species of woody dioecious trees in the mahogany family Carmelia.
- Etymology: The genus name Aglaia is from a Greek word meaning splendor or beauty, or referring to one of the three Graces in Greek mythology.

Botany
A medium-sized to large tree up to 43 m tall, bole branchless for up to 20 m, up to 90 cm in diameter, sometimes with buttresses up to 3 m high, bark surface brown, grayish-brown or greenish-gray, inner bark dark brown to pale yellowish-brown; leaflets 13-23, subopposite, with (15-)20-45 pairs of secondary veins, shiny and glabrous above and with numerous small pits, below densely covered with pale reddish-brown treeshaped hairs or with pale to dark brown stellate hairs or scales; flowers 5-merous, anthers 5, stylehead cylindrical, truncate at apex; fruit indéhiscent, 2(-4)-locular. (2)

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines.
- In primary and secondary forests, along rivers, on clay, sandstone, limestone at low to medium elevation, up to 1350 m.
- Also native to
Borneo, Jawa, Laos, Malaya, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Thailand. (1)
- IUCN listed as Near Threatened (2021).

Constituents
- Study of n-hexane extract of Aglaia pachyphylla stem bark isolated three sesquiterpenoids, namely: β-caryophyllene oxide (1), 1β-Hydroxy-4(15),5-eudesmadiene (2), and spathulenol (3). (see study below) (3)
- Study  of ethanol extract of stem bark of A. pachyphylla  isolated two novel pregnane steroids, pachylenone A (1) and pachylenone B (2), along with known steroids, 5α-dihydroprogesterone (3), GSD-8 (4), trans-5α-pregn-l7(20)-en-3,16-dion (5), 20β-hydroxy-5αH-pregnan-3-one (6), 3β-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one (7), aglaiasterol B (8), and 2β,3β-dihydroxypregnan-16-one (9). (see study below) (4)

Properties
- Studies suggest anticancer properties.

Parts used
Stem bark.

Uses

Edibility
- No information found on edibility.
Folkloric
- No information on folkloric medicinal use.
Others
- Wood: Hard and durable and has a density of about 855 kg/m3 at 15% moisture content Used for making furniture, bridges, planks, secondary construction.
(2)

Studies
Cytotoxic Against MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line / Sesquiterpenoids / Stem Bark:
Study evaluated and characterized sesquiterpenoids from n-hexane extract of A. pachyphylla stem bark and determined its cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Three sesquiterpenoids were identified, namely: β-caryophyllene oxide (1), 1β-Hydroxy-4(15),5-eudesmadiene (2), and spathulenol (3). Tested against MCF-7 breast cancer cells, compound 2 showed highest cytotoxic activity with IC50 value of 262.25 µM. (3)
Cytotoxic Pregnane Steroids Against MCF-7 Cancer Cell Line / Aglaiasterol B / Stem Bark: Pregnane steroids are secondary metabolites significantly involved in human biological systems. Over 500 unique pregnane steroids have been isolated from plants, with a diverse range of activities i.e. anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer. Study  of ethanol extract of stem bark of A. pachyphylla  isolated two novel pregnane steroids, pachylenone A (1) and pachylenone B (2), along with seven known steroids. The cytotoxic effects of the steroid compounds (1-9) were examined against MCF-7 line. Compound 8, aglaiasterol B, showed strongest activity with IC50 of 228 µM, followed by compound 6 (!C50 568.76 µM) and compound 1, pachylenone A, with IC50 of 768.73 µM. (see constituents above) (4)

Availability
Wild-crafted.

November 2024

                                                 PHOTOS / ILLUSTRATIONS
IMAGE SOURCE: Aglaia pachyphylla (2 images) / © Marina Khaytarova / Non-commercial use / Image modified / Click on image or link to go to source page / Trees of Tropical Asia

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Aglaia pachyphylla / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(2)

Aglaia pachyphylla / PROSEA : Plant Resoiurces of South-East Asia
(3)
Sesquiterpenoids from the stem bark of Aglaia pachyphylla Miq (Meliaceae) and cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 Cancer Cell Line / Wahyu Safriansyah, Fajar Fauzi Abdullah, Endang Juliansyah, Desi Harneti et al /  Jurnal Kimia Valensi, 2023;p 9(2) / eISSN: 2548-3013 / pISSN: 2460-6065
(4)
The isolation of novel pregnane steroids from Aglaia pachyphylla Miq. and the cytotoxicity against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) / Wahyu Safriansyah, Siska Elisahbet Sinaga, Rustaman, Kindi Farabi, Desi Harneti et al / RSC Advances, 2024; 14(34): pp 25402-25407 / DOI: 10.1039/d4ra04727c

DOI: It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page. (Citing and Using a (DOI) Digital Object Identifier)

                                                            List of Understudied Philippine Medicinal Plants
                                          New plant names needed
The compilation now numbers over 1,500 medicinal plants. While I believe there are hundreds more that can be added to the collection, they are becoming more difficult to find. If you have a plant to suggest for inclusion, native or introduced, please email the info: scientific name (most helpful), local plant name (if known), any known folkloric medicinal use, and, if possible, a photo. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

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