 Gen info
- Melaleuca is a genus of nearly 300 species of plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae.
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Melaleuca quinquenervia was first formally described in 1797 by the Spanish naturalist Antonio Jose Cavanilles, who gave it the name Metrosideros quinquenervia. (26)
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Etymology: Melaleuca is of Greek origin, meaning "black and white," referring to the white bark that is often charred by fire. (11) The specific epithet quinquenervia derives from Latin quinque meaning "five" and nervus, "vein", referring to the leaves having five veins. (26)
Botany
• Melaleuca is a tree growing to 10 meters or more, with a dense narrow crown, a stout, often twisted trunk. Bark is spongy and corky, and peels off in thin layers. Branches are pendulous. Leaves are thin, leathery, alternate, lanceolate, up to 7 centimeters long, 1.5 centimeters wide, 5-nerved, short-petioled, and pointed at both ends. Flowers are finely hairy, white, in dense spikes, up to 6 centimeters long, emits an unpleasant, musty odor. Fruit is small and grayish-brown with a narrow groove around the top surrounding a small, crater-like cup marked with 5 radial grooves.
 • Melaleuca quinquenervia is a small to medium sized, spreading tree which usually grows to a height of 8–15 m (30–50 ft) high and a spread of 5–10 m (20–30 ft) but is sometimes as tall as 25 m (80 ft). Young growth is hairy with long and short, soft hairs. The leaves are arranged alternately and are flat, leathery, lance-shaped to egg-shaped, dull or grey-green, 55–120 mm (2–5 inches) long and 10–31 mm (0.4–1 inch) wide, three to eight times as long as wide. Flowers are arranged in spikes on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering, sometimes also in the upper leaf axils. The spikes contain 5 to 18 groups of flowers in threes and are up to 40 mm (2 in) in diameter and 20–50 mm (0.8–2 in) long. The petals are about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and fall off as the flower ages. Stamens are white, cream-colored or greenish and are arranged in 5 bundles around the flower, with 5 to 10 stamens per bundle. Flowering is followed by fruit which are woody, broadly cylindrical capsules, 2.5 – 4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and clustered, spike-like along the branches. Each capsule contains many tiny seeds which are released annually. (26)
Distribution
- Recently introduced to the Philippines.
- Cultivated and planted along streets in Baguio and Manila.
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Found in Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Hawaii, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Caledonia Island, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands.
 Constituents
- Melaleuca oil is distilled from fresh leaves and twigs.
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The leaves yield cajeput oil which contains 45 to 56 % cineol, esters of butteric, valerianic and acetic acids, dl-pinene, valeral, butril, benzaldehydes, l-linalool, etc.
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The essential oil concentration in leaves is relatively high, about 1-3% of fresh mass. Among the 150 compounds present in M. quinquenervia foliage, 5-10 constitute more than 95% of the solvent-extractable terpenoids. Of these, 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, limonene, trans-nerolidol, ß-caryophyllne and viridiflorol constitute the major terpenoids in the leaves.
- In one study, Niaouli essential oils were classified into three chemotypes: Chemotype 2, rich in 1,8-cineole (up to 80%); C1, rich in terpinene derivatives; , and C3 rich in α-pinene and viridiflorol.
- Indonesian study on leaf oils showed the presence of 26 compounds,1,8-cineole (44.76–60.19%), α-terpineol (5.93–12.45%), d(+)-limonene (4.45–8.85%), and β-caryophyllene (3.78–7.64%) were the major components.
- Study of leaves yielded a new lupane-type nortriterpene, 28-norlup-20(29)-ene-3beta,17beta-diol, and 13 known compounds, (2E,6E)-farnesol, phytol, squalene, alloaromadendrene, ledene, palustrol, viridiflorol, ledol, betulinaldehyde, betulinic acid, 3beta-acetyl-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid, 3-oxolup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid, and platanic acid. (9)
- Study of leaves yielded four polyphenolic acid derivatives and three ellagitannins elucidated as: gallics acid (1), ellagic acid (2), 3-O-methylellagic acid (3), 3,4,3′-tri-O-methylellagic acid (4), 2,3-O-hexahydroxy-diphenoyl-(α/β)-D-4C1-glucopyranose (5), castalin (6), and grandinin (7). (see study below) (15)
- GC/MS analysis of 64 samples of M. quinquenervia oils collected from 21 different trees during three seasons characterized 47 compounds. Statistical analysis revealed two chemotypes: chemotype I (1,8-cineole type) and chemotype II characterized by a high viridiflorol content (48%). (16)
- GC-MS study of leaf essential oil
yielded major constituents of 1,8-cineole (30/14%), viridiflorol (29.92%), terpene-4-ol (10.12%), α-terpineol (6.89%), limonene (4.36%). (see study below) (19)
- Study of fruit extract yielded 19 compounds, including two novel spiro-biflavonoid enantiomers (1a and 1b) and a chalcone derivative (3). (see study below) (29)
Properties
- Oil considered anesthetic, carminative, antispasmodic, sudorific, stimulant, rubefacient.
- Studies have suggested antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antimicrobial, skin whitening, antimalarial, insecticidal, repellent, tyrosinase inhibiting, antimalarial, gastroprotective, anticancer properties.
Parts used
Oil, bark, leaves.
 Uses
Edibility
- In New Caledonia, tea is made from the leaves.
- Cajeput oil used in small amounts as flavoring in food and beverages.
Folkloric
- No reported folkloric medicinal use in the Philippines.
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In eastern Malaysia, the bark, softened by mastication, is applied to suppurating wounds to draw out the pus.
- In Sarawak, the bark is used with Hydrocotyle leaves on festering wounds, also to draw out pus.
- Oil used externally as a parasiticide and as anthelmintic.
- In Malaysia, oil is used externally for headaches, toothaches, earaches, rheumatism, cramps and fresh wounds.
- In European medicine, oil is used as a sudorific and vermifuge.
- In Cuba, extracts used as analgesic and antimalarial.
- Oil used for rheumatism and neuralgia.
- Oil used
in dental caries, as anodyne; as eardrops for earaches; and locally, for pityriasis, psoriasis and eczema.
- Oil also used as counter-irritant, rubbed over the chest in bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurodynia, pleuritis.
- Oil may be mixed with mustard oil as an anodyne liniment.
- On unbroken skin, oil is stimulant and rubefacient.
- Oil is a domestic remedy for all muscular pains.
- Oil taken internally as a powerful stimulant, carminative and antispasmodic; given in choleric diarrhea.
- In Australia, aborigines chewed young leaves as treatment for head colds. Leaves were brewed in warm water to make a liquid for treatment of headaches and general illness. (22)
Others
• Wood: Not a traditional timber product because of a high bark-to-wood ratio. However, the wood may be used as pulp and cabinetry, and make a fine firewood. The papery bark is used by the Malays for caulking their boats.
• Repellent: Oil makes an excellent mosquito repellent.
• Fuel: Entire tree can be used as biomass fuel, but not ideal because of its powdery, low-density bark.
• Cosmetics:
Essential oil used in various cosmetic products.
• Crafts and utility: The paper-like bark is traditionally used for making coolamons (a multi-purpose Australian shallow vessel used by aboriginal women to carry water, fruits, etc., as well as to cradle babies) and shelters and for wrapping baked food and lining ground ovens. (26)
• Honey: The scented flower produces a light to dark amber honey that is strongly flavored and candies readily. (26)
• Oil: Its essential oil is used in a variety of cosmetic products in Australia. Oil is also used in herbalism as antiseptic and antibacterial. (26)
Studies
• Phytochemical Screening: Study of the leaf and stem of MQ yielded hydrocarbons, fatty acids, cholesterol, stigmasterol, ß-sitosterol, oleanic acid, kaempferol, quercetin, quercetrin and saponin glycosides. (2)
• Polyphenols and Ellagitannins / Grandinin / Antioxidant / Hypoglycemic: Study isolated four polyphenolic acid derivatives and three ellagitannins from the leaves of MQ for the first time. One of the 7, grandinin, showed radical scavenging properties, found to be nontoxic, and to have a significant dose-dependent hypoglycemic effect in STZ-induced diabetic mice. Grandinin also reduced the elevated BUN and serum lipid peroxides. (4)
• Allergenicity: Study was done to determine if Melaleuca quinquenervia tree is a source of allergen and respiratory irritant. Results indicate the Melaleuca tree is not a significant source of aeroallergen and the Melaleuca odor is not a respiratory irritant. (5)
• Antimalarial: Study showed M. leucadendron to have in vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum and marginal activity in vivo against Plasmodium berghei.
• Antimicrobial: An extensive Cuban study on in vitro antimicrobial profiling of three medicinal plants, Simarouba glauca, Melaleuca leucadendron and Artemisia absinthium, was tested for their antiprotozoal potential against Trypanosoma b. brucei, T. cruzi, Leishmania infantum and Plasmodium falciparum, antifungal activity against Microsporum canis and Candida albicans, and antibacterial activity against E coli and S aureus. Only M. leucadendron extract showed selective activity against all the microorganisms tested. (7)
• Antimicrobial / Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Essential Oil: Study of Melaleuca sp. oil showed in vitro inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus isolates obtained from lower limb wounds and resistant to several antibiotics. (13)
• Antimicrobial Activity of Niaouli Leaf Extracts Against Skin Flora: Study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of niaouli leaf extracts against skin flora viz., Bacillus subtilis, S. aureus, Propionibacterium acnes, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and the yeast Plasmodium ovale. Results showed a 50% ethanol extract/fraction of naouli could be applicable to cosmetics as natural preservatives effective in antimicrobial activity against skin flora. (14)
• Grandinin /
Lowering of Blood Glucose /Antioxidant / Leaves: Study of leaves yielded four polyphenolic acid derivatives and three ellagitannins. The major component, grandinin, showed radical scavenging properties by DPPH assay and exhibited significant dose-dependent hypoglycemic effect in STZ-induced diabetic mice, together with reduction in elevated BUN and serum lipid peroxides. (see constituents above) (15)
• Anthelmintic / Essential Oil: Study evaluated
essential oils of Citrus sinensis and Melaleuca quinquenervia against Haemonchus contortus Embrapa 2010 resistant isolate. M. quinquenervia yielded lngifoolene (32.95%) and 1,8-cineole (25.43%) as major components. In the EHT (egg hatch test), MQ showed an IC50 and IC90 were 1.52 and 5.63 mg/ml, respectively. In LDT (larval development test), IC50 and IC90 were 044 and 0,94 mg/ml, respectively. Results suggest a potential for nematode control. (17)
• Antimicrobial
/ E-Nerolidol / Chemovariant of Essential Oil: Study of essential oil of M. quinquenervia identified sesquiterpene E-Nerolidod as a characteristic chemical variant. The EO was screened against oral and skin pathogens. The volatile oil exhibited maximum growth inhibitory activity against dental and skin pathogenic strains. The potent antimicrobial activity could be due to enhanced bacterial permeability and susceptibility to Nerolidol, a major component of the M. quinquenervia essential oil. (18)
• Anti-Inflammatory / Analgesic / Antipyretic / Leaf Essential Oil: Study evaluated the anti-inflammatory properties of essential oil from leaves of M. quinquenervia. The essential oil showed a decrease in rate of edema evolution and displayed significant dose and time dependent edema inhibition. Essential oil also showed strong analgesic and antipyretic properties. An 1800 mg/kg dose showed better activity than that induced by 50 mg/kg of acetylsalicylate of lysine. (see constituents above) (19)
* Tyrosinase Inhibiting Activity / Skin Whitening / Essential Oil: Study evaluated the chemical composition of MQ EO by GC-MS and evaluated its tyrosinase inhibiting activity. GC-MS analysis yielded 18 components. Main components were 1,8-cineole (21.60%), α-pinene (15.93%), viridiflorol (14.55%), and α-terpineol (13.73%). Results showed that MQ-EO and its main components, 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, and α-terpineol, possessed potent anti-tyrosinase and anti-melanogenic activities besides the antioxidant properties. Results suggest MQ-EO is non-cytotoxic with potential use as skin whitening agent both medicinally and cosmetically. (20)
• Insecticidal / Pesticidal / Repellent / Essential Oil: Various essential oils were tested against the yellow fever mosquito, malaria vector, and filariasis and encephalitis vector. Five most effective oils were those of Litsea cubeba, Melaleuca leucadendron, Melaleuca quinquenervia, Viola odorata and Nepeta cataria with protection time of 8 hours at 100% repellency against all three species. (21)
• Climate Change: Study showed Melaleuca leaves preserved in ancient wetlands would be used to reconstruct past rainfall activity. (23)
• Various Chemotypes in Niaouli ( Melaleuca quinquenervia) Essential Oil: Study of 144 leaf oil samples obtained from leaves on 48 trees growing in Madagascar were investigated for compound content, with 24 compounds submitted for multivariate statistical analysis. Results showed four chemotypes: a chemotype with high 1,8-cineole content (37%); a chemotype relatively rich in 1,8-cineole (23%), viridiflorol (30%), and terpinolene (5%); a viridiflorol (48%) chemotype; and an (E)-nerolidol (87%) chemotype. Seasonal influence was negligible versus chemical compound content. The1,8-cineole and (E)-nerolidol chemotypes represented 70% of the tree population. (24)
• Natural Alternative for Mosquito Vector Control / Essential Oil: Study evaluated Melaleuca quinquenervia essential oil for larvicide, adulticide, and growth inhibitory activity against Aedes aegypti, A. albopictus, and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. Calculated LC50s indicates an order of effectiveness of preferential oil for Cx quinquefasciatus (LC50 0.0021%), Aedes aegypti (LC50 0.0047%) and Ae. albopictus (LC50 0.0049%). Results indicated M. quinquenervia is a plant with promising environmentally sustainable source for mosquito vector control. (27)
• Gastroprotective / Ethanol-Induced Peptic Ulcer / Essential Oil: Study evaluated the effects of M. quinquenervia essential oil on ethanol-induced peptic ulcer in Sprague-Dawley rats. M. quinquenervia treated markedly inhibited GSH (glutathione) depletion, implying a reduction in lipid peroxidation that prevents gastric damage. Also, MPO activity, a marker of inflammation, which increases ulceration, also diminished after Mq treatment. Histologically, healing of the ulcer revealed anti-inflammatory effect of the extract. (28)
• Anticancer / Cytotoxic Compounds / Fruits: Study of fruit extract yielded 19 compounds, including two novel spiro-biflavonoid enantiomers (1a and 1b) and a chalcone derivative (3). Compounds 2 (melanervin), 14 (methyl betulinate), 15 (3-O-acetylbetulinic acid)), and 16 (pyrarenic acid) were highly cytotoxic, with compound 16 showing superior growth inhibition of non-small cell lung cancer cells (A549) (IC50 2.8 µM) compared to cisplatin (IC50 3.3 µM), positive control chemotherapeutic drug. Both compound 16 and cisplatin were significantly more cytotoxic toward A549 lung cancer cells compared to nontumorigenic Vero E6 cells. (29)
• Nanoemulsification / Improvement of Bioactivities of Essential Oil: Study reports on the development of a suitable delivery system for niaouli essential oil (NEO) using a nanoemulsification method for acne vulgaris. NEO formulations tested against Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermis showed antiacne potential in vitro. Ex vivo permeation studies showed significant improvement in drug permeations. In vitro and ex vivo results showed nanoemulsification improved the delivery as well as bioactivities of NEO significantly. (30)
Availability
- Wild-crafted.
- Extracts and cajeput oil in the cybermarkets.
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