ALSTONIA SCHOLARIS

The tree has white, strongly perfumed flowers and is cultivated as an ornamental plant. The bark used to serve as an alternative to quinine.


Common Name - Blackboard Tree,Indian Devil Tree


Additional Info

Alstonia or devil tree or Saptaparni is a genus of evergreen trees or shrubs with white funnel-shaped flowers and milky sap. In India the bark of Alstonia scholaris is used solely for medicinal purposes, ranging from Malaria and epilepsy to skin conditions and asthma. The bark contains the alkaloids diamine, echitenine, and echitamine and used to serve as an alternative to quinine. At one time, a decoction of the bark was used to treat diarrhea and malaria, as a tonic, febrifuge, emmenagogue, anticholeric, and vulnerary.