Crude drug sample data base

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Crude drug name

Market nameKayu Secang
Other namesJava: kayu secang, soga jawa (Javanese), secang (Sundanese), kayu secang (Madurese); Sumatra: sapang, cacang (Minangkabau); Celebes: sepang (Bugis), sapang (Makasar); Bali: cang; Mollucas: sunyiha (Ternate), roro (Tidore) [201]
English nameSappanwood
Original plant nameCaesalpinia sappan Linn., Sappanwood
Family nameCaesalpiniaceae (Former Leguminosae)
Used partClassificationPlant origin
Sub classification wood
Collection informationRepublic of Indonesia, Lugu Morni
Collection date1994/02/24
CollectorKatsuko Komatsu, et al.
IdentifierMangestuti Agil
TMPW No.14105

Scientific information data base

Crude drug nameIndonesian name,
English name		Kayu secang, Sappanwood
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Original plant nameCaesalpinia sappan Linn.
Family nameCaesalpiniaceae (Former Leguminosae)
Used partWood
Distribution areaIt is cultivated throughout Indonesia; often grows on rocky mountains but prefer warmer areas [201].
DescriptionThe plant is a shrub or small tree up to 10 m tall; branchlets usually armed with recurved prickles. Leaves paripinnate, rachis 25-40 cm long with 9-14 pairs of pinnae; leaflets opposite, 10-20 pairs per pinna, base obliquely truncate, apex retuse or rounded. Panicle supra-axillary or terminal; flowers bisexual. Pod flat oblongoid-obovoid [220].
Drug effectBitter, neutralizing, blood cleanser [231], astringent, disinfectant [201].
Specific actionsAstringent, disinfectant, hemostatic [201, 231].
Frequency in useAbundant
Common usesThe red dye obtained from the wood is used for colouring cotton, silk, wool and batik (traditional Indonesian cloth). A mixture of wood with leaves of Symplocos sp. and Morinda citrifolia is heated to obtain red dye. If mixed with leaves of Psidium guajava, a reddish-brown color is obtained. Red dye becomes purple if mixed with lime. Red ink can be made from heated / cooked wood; its colour is changed to purple if mixed with a small amount of lime. If more lime is added, the ink will turned to crimson [201, 220].
It is also used for food, including in preparing herbal tea from the heartwood [220].
Pharmacological effectBrazilin has a hypoglycaemic action and increase glucose metabolism in experimental diabetic animals [220].

Extract of C. sappan is a potent agent for inactivating human sperm in vitro [220].

Study to investigate the antimicrobial activity of Caesalpinia sappan against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and effect of the extract on the invasion of MRSA to human mucosal fibroblasts showed that the methanolic extract may have antimicrobial activity and the potential to restore the effectiveness of beta-lactam antibiotic against MRSA [PMID:15036473]].

Research has been conducted on the antioxidant activity of Caesalpinia sappan by in vitro and in vivo models. Results showed a significant antioxidant nature of C. sappan heartwood extracts [PMID:14600396].

Study on the immunosuppressive properties of the heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan showed that brazilein and the ethanol extract of C. sappan could inhibit the proliferation of T lymphocyte stimulated by Concanavalin A and the proliferation of B lymphocyte stimulated by lipopolysaccharides [PMID:16428078].

Brazilein, a molecule with a non-steroidal skeleton from C. sappan exhibited a positive inotropic action in isolated cardiac tissue. It was concluded from a research that its positive inotropic effect is through inhibiting Na(+),K(+)-ATPase [PMID:16319518].

The vasorelaxant activity of Caesalpinia sappan L. and its major component brazilin were investigated in isolated rat aorta and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In isolated rat aorta, the extract and brazilin relaxed phenylephrine-induced vasocontraction and increased cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) content. Induction of vasorelaxation of brazilin was endothelium-dependent and could be markedly blocked by pretreatment with nitric oxide synthase [PMID:12729841].
Medical systemIndonesian medicine (Jamu)
Traditional usageWood has astringent and disinfectant properties. Shavings of the wood are sold in traditional medicine vendors. It is mostly used to cure blood-related diseases, such as hematemesis, bloody diarrhoea/diarrhea, bruises. It also used to treat syphilis and for external application.
Decoction or infusion of the wood is considered a strong emmenagogue and astringent. It is used to cure tuberculosis, diarrhoea/diarrhea and dysentery, irregular menses, wound. [220, 231]. Shaving of wood, fruit of Fructus Coriandri, leaves of Litsea odorifera are mixed and is used as a blood purifier. Cold steepings is used as eye medicine to treat eye inflammation.
Wood is also used internally to cure internal wounds [201].
Formulation1) Dysentery:
 1 gram of wood, 5 grams of Psidium guajava leaves, 5 grams of Centella asiatica leaves, 1 gram of Usnea misaminensis (Usnea sp.) thallus, 2 pieces of Helicteres isora fruits, 1 whole herb of Elephantopus scaber. Mix all ingredients, ad 120 ml of water and boil. Stand to cool and strain. Drink 100 ml of the decoction once a day for 14 consecutive days [231].

2) Stomachache:
 1 gram of wood, 5 grams of aerial parts of Euphorbia prostate, 0.7 grams of wood of Strychnos ligustrina are boiled with 110 ml water to make a decoction. Drink the decoction 100 ml once a day for 3 days [231].
ReferencesReference book　

Tips！

[201] K. Heyne, Tumbuhan Berguna Indonesia, Vols. 1-4, 1987. Diedarkan Oleh Koperasi Karyawan Departemen Kehutanan, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Vol. 2, pp 934-936.

[220] van Valkenburg, J.L.C.H. and Bunyapraphatsara, N. (editors). Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 12 (2). Medicinal and posionous plants 2. Prosea Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia, 2002.
pp 123-129.

[222] P.T. Eisai Indonesia: Medical Herb Index in Indonesia (Second edition).1995.
p 106.

[231] Soedibyo, Mooryati: Alam Sumber Kesehatan: Manfaat dan Kegunaan (Natural resources for health. Benefits and uses). Balai Pustaka. 1998.
pp 333-334.

Research paper1. Ye M, Xie WD, Lei F, Meng Z, Zhao YN, Su H, Du LJ. Brazilein, an important immunosuppressive component from Caesalpinia sappan L. Int Immunopharmacol., 6(3):426-32, 2006. (PMID: 16428078)

2. Zhao YN, Pan Y, Tao JL, Xing DM, Du LJ. Study on cardioactive effects of brazilein. Pharmacology., 76(2):76-83, 2006. (PMID: 163195189)

3. Kim KJ, Yu HH, Jeong SI, Cha JD, Kim SM, You YO. Inhibitory effects of Caesalpinia sappan on growth and invasion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Ethnopharmacol., 91(1):81-7, 2004. (PMID: 15036473)

4. Badami S, Moorkoth S, Rai SR, Kannan E, Bhojraj S. Antioxidant activity of Caesalpinia sappan heartwood. Biol Pharm Bull., 26(11):1534-7, 2003. (PMID: 14600396)

5. Hu CM, Kang JJ, Lee CC, Li CH, Liao JW, Cheng YW. Induction of vasorelaxation through activation of nitric oxide synthase in endothelial cells by brazilin. Eur J Pharmacol., 2;468(1):37-45, 2003. (PMID: 12729841)
Last renewal date2024/03/06
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